Keeping your pets safe during the holidays

MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP — When it comes to the holidays, many of us eat as many sweets and treats as we can. But for some of our special friends and loved ones, the foods that we love to eat are dangerous- and sometimes even fatal.

It may be tough to say ‘no’ to our cats and dogs, but feeding them table scraps or any deserts could lead to a number of health problems for pets. In order to prevent these problems from happening to your favorite furry friend, veterinarians recommend feeding your pets their normal food at the same time you eat.

“If you want to add extra treats during the holiday season because we add them for ourselves, you could go to a pet store and get extra treats that are cat safe or dog safe for your animals at home,” said Dr. Julie Vezzetti, a veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center in Marquette Township.

“The other thing that may be a consideration is when you have parties at your house and you can’t monitor your animals as well to give them a safe spot maybe down in the basement or in a backroom, so then you don’t have to depend on your guests to make sure they’re not feeding the dog or feeding the cat or being aware of what they dropped on the ground,” she added.

Doctor Vezzetti added that if you know your pet ate something that they shouldn’t have, you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.