4 Tips For a Stress Free Holiday for Your Pets

by Rebecca Rose, President of In Clover

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, period.  Every year we have a houseful of friends, dogs and cats.  What could be better?  My animal family, Floyd, Jasmine and Chai, however, do not see it quite the same way I do.  They are used to having their house, yard and family all to themselves in a pretty nice routine.    Thanksgiving is stressful. 

One of the most common, and easily avoided, vet visits over the holidays is due to digestive upset.   There are treats and temptations at every turn.  One year we carved the Thanksgiving turkey outside and left it on the table while we found a platter, you guessed it, a visiting dog grabbed a large piece of the turkey and the chase began.  We were able to coax most of the turkey prize from the pup and everyone had a great memory but it could have had a much different ending.  The extra food and stress can leave pets with a case of stomach upset, diarrhea or even worse—an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis.  To help minimize stress and upsets, follow these simple tips from ASPCA and In Clover. 

1. Undercooked turkey can harbor Salmonella or Campylobacter, these are bad germs and you do not want them in your pet.  The turkey skin, especially when marinated with butter, can be hard to digest.  Save the turkey for your human guests. 
   
   
2. Keep raw bread dough out of reach of your pets.  The dough can ferment when in your pet’s stomach and cause gas and serious stomach upset. 
   
   
3. You know how you feel when you eat too much, don’t let your pet over indulge.  Stomach upset and diarrhea are signs of too much of a good thing. 
   
   
4. Lastly, help to soothe the inevitable stomach upset due to the stress of the day, detour from the routine, Uncle Bill’s overzealous head rubs and too much rich food with a digestive supplement such as OptaGest.  I always double up on OptaGest the week before Thanksgiving to give my furry family’s digestive and immune system an extra boost.  Your pet will thank you and your day will be more enjoyable for all. 

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at In Clover. 

Visit us at www.inclover.com