The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) advises the best way to ensure you have a happy holiday is to make sure your pets are kept safe from holiday-related poisons or injury.

“This is the time of year that many veterinary hospitals report more emergency calls than any other time. Often this is associated with your pets getting into food that they simply shouldn’t have,” Dr. Ron DeHaven, chief executive officer of the AVMA, said in a recent video.

Dr. DeHaven advises that the very things that make the holidays festive for us can be fatal to our pets. Turkey, tinsel, greasy foods, mistletoe, Christmas trees, chocolates and baked goods are all things that can result in an emergency veterinary visit.

“Consider the dog that gets into that turkey carcass,” DeHaven said in the video. “Because of the high fat content this can cause a really serious condition called pancreatitis.”

“Many of the worst poisonings during the holiday season occur when we’re not at home,” he continued. “Be sure after Thanksgiving dinner that you put that turkey carcass out in the trash, well out of reach of your pets. Also consider wrapped candies or foods that may be in holiday packages. Your pet has a sensitive nose, so they could get into those things, and if that happens while you’re not home, you wouldn’t be there to help them.”

This complete holiday message can be downloaded on the AVMA media library at this link, and it’s also available to the general public on AVMA-TV, at www.avmatv.org. The AVMA also offers a brochure on Household Hazards available at www.avma.org, and has also posted a video with more information on Household Hazards and Poisons on AVMA-TV.

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