Arsenal Pet Sitting Service
Looking After Your Precious Pet Like It Was One Of Our Own
© 2021 Mark Ward - Website Design by Futurescope Computers Ltd
PET CARE
DURING THE HOLIDAYS
As
we
approach
the
holiday
season
and
the
fun
begins,
let’s
not
forget
that
the
things
we
associate
with
Christmas
and
enjoy
might
not
be
so
pet
friendly,
nobody
wants
to
be
trying
to
find
an
emergency
vet
over
the
holidays
and
paying
Christmas
out
of
hours
fee’s
so
we
have
produced a list of things to look out to help keep your little friends safe and enjoying Christmas as much as you.
Christmas Trees
The
oils
found
in
fir,
pine
and
spruce
trees can
irritate
a
cat’s
mouth
and
intestines
often
causing
drooling
and
vomiting.
If
ingested,
the
oils
found
in
many
Christmas
trees
may
also
cause damage to your cat’s nervous system; this can result in seizures, loss of appetite,
abdominal pain, and depression.
As
well
as
the
actual
tree,
the
water
can
also
be
toxic
to
pets,
especially
if
it
contains
fertilizer
and bacteria
&
mould,
which
will
accumulate
in
the
water
over
time.
Keep
the
water
bowl
at
the
bottom
cleaned
and
put
in
fresh
water
daily,
if
possible
cover
it
so
pets
don’t
have
access
to try drinking it. Tree Skirts that cover the bottom are often good for this.
The
needles
themselves
are
also
a
real
danger,
as
they
can
cause
bowel
obstructions
or
perforate the intestines of pets if they try to eat them and can also pierce pads on their paws.
Let’s
not
forget
as
well
how
cat’s
love
to
climb
that
Christmas
tree
!,
make
sure
you
have
a
good
solid
base
or
try
fixing
it
to
a
wall
to
avoid
having
to
rebuild
it
again
and
again
or
worse,
your little friends getting injured when it falls.
Even
if
you
have
an
artificial
tree,
remember
even
these
can
be
an
issue
if
the
plastic
off
the
branches is ingested.
When
choosing
ornaments,
the
real
glass
ones
look
lovely
but
firstly
how
long
will
they
actually
last
?,
broken
glass
balls
can
be
a
real
hazard
to
pets
so
maybe
look
for
the
shatterproof
ones
and
avoid
putting
any
decorations
near
the
very
bottom
of
the
tree
right
in
paws length and so temptation of the little guys.
The
lights
are
also
a
common
cause
of
accidents
with
pets,
small
pieces
of
decoration
on
some
lights
can
be
ingested
and
let’s
not
forget
lights
are
electric,
its
always
best
to
invest
in
a
set
of
safer
low
voltage
LED
lights.
Secure
the
mains
plugs
and
extension
leads
away
safely in a boxwhere little paws and sharp teeth can’t get at anything mains voltage.
When
choosing
the
decorations,
think
about
your
pets,
things
like
tinsel
are
just
so
tempting
to
a
cat
but
unfortunately
the
small
shreds
of
plastic are also bad news if swallowed.
We
get
some
empty
boxes
and
wrap
them
up
and
put
them
under
the
tree
straight
away
and
put
them
back
once
we
take
away
the
real
presents
to
give
to
people
so
there
is
always
something
under
the
tree
to
stop
our
cats
getting
under
there.
We
also
fix
our
tree
to
the
wall
or
radiator
with
a
piece
of
wire,
this
has
stopped
the
practise
of
having
to
sit
and
re-decorate
the
tree,
sometimes
at
3am
after
one
of
our
five cats has decided to climb it and knock it over.
Christmas Plants
Christmas
also
is
a
time
for
Christmas
plants
and
flowers,
many
of
these
are
harmful
to
pets
so
take
care
firstly
what
you
buy
and
where
you put them so the little ones can’t get their paws on them.
Mistletoe
Misletoe
can
cause
vomiting
or
diarrhoea,
low
blood
pressure
and
difficulty
breathing, or a low heart rate.
Poinsettia
Poinsettias
are
usually
only
slightly
toxic
to
cats.
But
still,
their
sap
can
irritate
your
cat’s
mouth
and
stomach
may
cause
vomiting so should be avoided.
Hemerocallis and Liliiums
These
troublesome
species
include
most
types
of
lilies.
Within
a
few
hours
of
eating
the
leaves
or
pollen,
your
cat
will
start
to
vomit,
acute
kidney
failure
can
develop
within 24 hours.
Christmas Food
Oh
how
we
love
nothing
more
than
to
indulge
in
lots
of
food
over
Christmas
but
let’s
please
not
forget
that
many
of
the
foods
we
like, although may taste great to our little pets, they often can cause issues with their more sensitive stomachs.
Chocolate
Who
does
not
love
chocolate
at
Christmas
?,
but
let’s
remember
the
chemical
theobromine
found
in
chocolate
is
very
poisonous
to
dogs.
The
darker
the
chocolate,
the
higher
the
levels
of
theobromine
found
in
it.
Small
amounts
can
cause
vomiting
and
diarrhoea,
while large amounts can cause seizures, heart problems and in worst cases, even death.
White chocolate
Is
highly
unlikely
to
cause
theobromine
toxicity
as
it
contains
much
smaller
amounts
than
dark
chocolate,
It
does,
however
still
have
high
levels
of
fat
&
sugar
which,
if
eaten
in
large
quantities,
can
cause
stomach
upsets.
It’s
best
to
keep
all
chocolate
out
of
reach
of
your pets.
Grapes & Raisins
These
fruits
are
a
common
pet
hazard
during
the
holidays.
Candied
raisins
found
in
fruit
cake,
candy-covered
raisins
or
grapes
could
be
bad
news
for
your
pet.
Just
a
few
grapes
could
cause
kidney
failure
in
your
pup,
so
keep
these
away
from
your
pet
at
all
costs
and
like
with
children
these
can
also
be
a
choking
hazard.
Don’t
forget
this
will
include
food
items
that
contain
dried
fruits
such
as
Christmas pudding and mince pies.
Bones
It
can
be
tempting
to
give
your
dog
a
bone
from
the
meat
you’re
cooking.
Unfortunately,
most
cooked
and
uncooked
bones
are
dangerous
for
dogs
to
eat.
They
can
easily
break
and
splinter,
leading
to
an
array
of
problems
for
your
furry
friend.
Including
broken
teeth, gastrointestinal blockage, constipation and Peritonitis.
Artificial sweeteners
Xylitol
a
sugar-free
sweetener
is
found
in
many
of
the
sweets
we
consume
over
Christmas,
as
well
as chewing
gum,
mouthwashes,
toothpastes
and
supplements.
It
is
poisonous
to
dogs
and,
although
the
amounts
in
different
products
vary,
even
one
to
two
pieces
of
chewing
gum
can
cause
toxic
effects
in
a
small
dog.
It
can
induce
the
release
of
insulin
in
the
body,
resulting
in
low
blood
sugar
and
sometimes
liver
damage.
Signs
of
poisoning
can
be
rapid
or
delayed,
and
include
vomiting,
lethargy,
convulsions
and
comas.
The prognosis is good if the low blood sugar is treated quickly.
Animal Care Course
Animal Grooming Course