Christmas Tips

Top Tips for a happy healthy Christmas

1. Keep yummy expensive dark chocolate all to yourself this Christmas. Chocolate - particularly good quality high cocoa content brands are poisonous to dogs.

2. Stress…we aren’t the only ones who can find the busy Christmas period a strain. Cats hate changes to their routine and the home, this can lead to urine marking to try and feel more secure. In these situations a Feliway diffuser can restore the natural balance.

3. Remember the little pets – rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils and hamsters can get a bit forgotten with all the new presents and excitement. This can lead to less frequent hutch cleaning and handling.

4. Vomiting and diarrhoea can put a dampener on the festive fun and is often caused by giving your pets rich leftovers or them helping themselves to Christmas goodies. Try to keep their food routine as normal as possible.

5. If you’re getting crafty this Christmas with a needle and thread make sure you don’t leave it unattended. Surprisingly this is quite a common foreign body found in cat’s tummies! Yes even our highly intelligent feline friends can get the wrong end of the stick!

6. Dogs have more than their fair share of foreign objects found in the stomach or gut over the Festive period. We’ve remove all sorts of things from inside naughty dogs, ranging from socks, tights and knickers to kitchen utensils and corn cob husks. If you have a thief in your midst be vigilant and warn your visitors to keep things out of reach.

7. Fireworks can start up again as everyone gets into the party mood. Keep your cats and dogs indoors at night and give the little pets extra bedding to burrow in their hutches.

8. Please ensure you are stocked up with medications and food over the Christmas period. We will be open between Christmas and New Year but our suppliers have a limited service over this period.

9. Fleas, ticks and worms are a year round problem so make sure your pets are continually treated. Fleas especially make unwelcome house guests over Christmas.

10. Older pets need a bit of extra consideration over the Christmas period - make sure they can get some peace and quiet if they want to get away from the bustle of things, try to continue their regular gentle exercise rather than big family walks that might overstress any arthritis, or days with no walk as they will stiffen up. Keep medications on time for maximum effect.

Merry Christmas from Tara and Julie x x

For further information and advice please don’t hesitate to ask.