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Health & Fitness

What NOT to Feed Your Dog

Hudson Veterinary Hospital is offering short informative blogs on current topics. This month we will focus on care of your pets around the holiday season.

Dogs are the ultimate omnivores. They also explore their world with their mouths, immediately “getting to know” unfamiliar objects by gnawing on them. This can cause serious problems: Dogs don’t know their limits, and sometimes neither do their owners.

To learn what you should definitely not feed your dogs, read on:

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Bones

There are some pet health experts who advise owners to feed their dogs beef or other animal bones, the theory being that since ancient dogs survived on bones, then they must be good for modern dogs, too. Unfortunately, this is not the case. A dog’s gnawing can shatter a bone, and the splinters are a serious choking hazard. Do not let your dog take a bite out of your chicken scraps when you’re done with dinner.

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Chocolate

Most people have heard that dogs shouldn’t eat chocolate, but animal hospitals still see cases of chocolate poisoning year in and year out. Part of the problem stems from the fact that dogs will be dogs, and more than one puppy has managed to snatch a plate of brownies despite his owner’s best efforts. But another part of the problem stems from human ignorance. Chocolate contains a certain chemical that is lethal to dogs, but the amount of this chemical varies depending on the type of chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the higher the cacao content—and it’s cacao that actually contains the problem chemical. No matter how much or how little cacao chocolate contains, it will always be dangerous to your dog, if only because he will learn to like the taste and eventually move on to the kind of chocolate that will kill him.

Grapes and Raisins

Until recently, many dog owners gave their pets grapes or raisins as a treat. Unfortunately, grapes and raisins can trigger kidney failure in dogs. Needless to say, this makes them an inappropriate canine snack.

TOP 5 Holiday Dangers:

Holiday decoratios:  Glass, metal, ribbons, tinsel and artificial snow are dangerous if ingested.

Cold Weather Hazzards:  Keep pets away from antifreeze one lick is enough to cause a lot of damage.  Wipe your pets paws and tummy after walks to remove salt and chemical residues.

Keep Table Scraps On the Table: Fatty foods can cause stomach issues, while bones can cause onstructions or choking.

ID Your Pet:  With the flow of holiday guests coming in and out of your house, an open door provides escape.  Be sure to microchip your pet or have current ID tags on the collar.

Place Holiday Plants High off the Ground:  Holly, mistletoe, poinsetta, lillies and Christmas tree water can all be toxic if ingested.

If you’d like to learn more about which foods you should and should not feed your pets, then you visit Hudson Veterinary Hospital. At Hudson Veterinary Hospital, our caring veterinarians can answer your questions and provide you with prescription dog or cat food if needed. We also perform low-cost spaying, neutering, and pet grooming. To learn more about our multi-purpose animal hospital, call (914) 762-0063 today.

www.hudsonvet.com

176 North Highland Ave.

Ossining, NY 10562

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