Ask the Vet: “Holiday Hazards” 假日危機
Q&A WITH DR PAULINE TAYLOR, BVM&S MACVSC
DR. PAULINE SAYS: At holiday and festival times there are many goodies around that can cause hazards for our pets. Most visits to emergency veterinary treatment clinics are caused by things dogs or cats eat.
Holiday goodies include many foods with a high fat content. These are wonderful for causing upset tummies. Raisons, grapes and onions are toxic to our small pets leading to blood abnormalities and renal failure.
Sweet items that contain artificial sweeteners can be toxic and chocolate leads to seizures and heart problems.
Flowers and plants are also dangerous to our pets. Lilies, all parts of them, are FATAL to cats causing renal failure, mistletoe causes diarrhoea and the ever present poinsettia in abundance around us at present can cause mild irritation to lips and mucous membranes in addition to gastroenteritis.
Anxious animals perhaps upset by the “going-ons” around them may turn to objects to chew to release their stress. A form of displacement behavior. These can include cables and cords belonging to festive lights or lanterns, paper, candles and coming up to CNY even Lai See packets! The problem with the laisee packets is that you also loose the contents of the laisee into your pet’s digestive system so be extra careful with them.
When strangers come around, and in particular if your dog or cat isn’t used to visitors, it is a good idea to shut your pet out the way in a safe room or cage/basket. They will be much happier and you can relax too.
And remember as the weather gets colder our pets feel the difference in temperature too. They can get hypothermia so they need warm shelters at all times and fresh clean water every day. Finally be sensible letting pets access other potential poisons, cleaning detergents and miscellaneous chemicals you may use. The classic one, uncommon I’m pleased to say in HK, is anti-freeze which attracts animals to lick it leading once again to renal failure.
Hopefully if you keep these hazards in mind and away from your pets you will all have a great holiday season.
Kung Hey Fat Choy to one and all, two and four legged!
假日和節慶時刻，都會出現很多對寵物構成危險的食物。很多前來動物醫院的急症都是由於貓狗進食所致。
很多節慶食物都含高脂肪，會對肚子造成不適。葡萄乾、葡萄和洋蔥都是對我們的寵物有毒，引致血液異常和腎功能衰竭。
甜點中的人工甜味劑同樣有毒，巧克力可引致癲癇和心臟問題。
其他植物和花也是對寵物有相當危險性的。百合花每個部位都對貓帶來致命的腎功能衰竭；槲寄生引起腹瀉；而經常出現的一品紅對嘴唇和粘膜造成輕度刺激以及腸胃炎。
較為緊張的動物可以因此而透過咀嚼物件減低壓力。這是一種位移行為。物件諸如節日燈飾和燈籠的線和繩、紙張、蠟燭和農曆新年的利是封！利是封的內含物也會掉進寵物的消化系統中，因此要加倍小心。
有陌生人前來的時候，特別是你的貓狗不習慣接觸來客的話，最好把牠們移到安全的房間或籠子中。牠們會更高興，你也能更輕鬆。
記著，天氣轉涼時，我們的寵物也會感知到溫度的變化。牠們可能出現低溫症，所以要時刻待在暖的房間和供應新鮮的飲用水。最後要小心寵物能接觸到的毒物、清潔劑和各種化學物。其中一種最典型的，但香港並不常見的，防凍液會吸引動物舔食，引致腎功能衰竭。
希望你能謹記這些危機，並遠離它們，跟動物有一個愉快的節日。
祝大家和寵物們恭喜發財！
Q&A WITH DR PAULINE TAYLOR, BVM&S MACVSC
DR. PAULINE SAYS: At holiday and festival times there are many goodies around that can cause hazards for our pets. Most visits to emergency veterinary treatment clinics are caused by things dogs or cats eat.
Holiday goodies include many foods with a high fat content. These are wonderful for causing upset tummies. Raisons, grapes and onions are toxic to our small pets leading to blood abnormalities and renal failure.
Sweet items that contain artificial sweeteners can be toxic and chocolate leads to seizures and heart problems.
Flowers and plants are also dangerous to our pets. Lilies, all parts of them, are FATAL to cats causing renal failure, mistletoe causes diarrhoea and the ever present poinsettia in abundance around us at present can cause mild irritation to lips and mucous membranes in addition to gastroenteritis.
Anxious animals perhaps upset by the “going-ons” around them may turn to objects to chew to release their stress. A form of displacement behavior. These can include cables and cords belonging to festive lights or lanterns, paper, candles and coming up to CNY even Lai See packets! The problem with the laisee packets is that you also loose the contents of the laisee into your pet’s digestive system so be extra careful with them.
When strangers come around, and in particular if your dog or cat isn’t used to visitors, it is a good idea to shut your pet out the way in a safe room or cage/basket. They will be much happier and you can relax too.
And remember as the weather gets colder our pets feel the difference in temperature too. They can get hypothermia so they need warm shelters at all times and fresh clean water every day. Finally be sensible letting pets access other potential poisons, cleaning detergents and miscellaneous chemicals you may use. The classic one, uncommon I’m pleased to say in HK, is anti-freeze which attracts animals to lick it leading once again to renal failure.
Hopefully if you keep these hazards in mind and away from your pets you will all have a great holiday season.
Kung Hey Fat Choy to one and all, two and four legged!
假日和節慶時刻，都會出現很多對寵物構成危險的食物。很多前來動物醫院的急症都是由於貓狗進食所致。
很多節慶食物都含高脂肪，會對肚子造成不適。葡萄乾、葡萄和洋蔥都是對我們的寵物有毒，引致血液異常和腎功能衰竭。
甜點中的人工甜味劑同樣有毒，巧克力可引致癲癇和心臟問題。
其他植物和花也是對寵物有相當危險性的。百合花每個部位都對貓帶來致命的腎功能衰竭；槲寄生引起腹瀉；而經常出現的一品紅對嘴唇和粘膜造成輕度刺激以及腸胃炎。
較為緊張的動物可以因此而透過咀嚼物件減低壓力。這是一種位移行為。物件諸如節日燈飾和燈籠的線和繩、紙張、蠟燭和農曆新年的利是封！利是封的內含物也會掉進寵物的消化系統中，因此要加倍小心。
有陌生人前來的時候，特別是你的貓狗不習慣接觸來客的話，最好把牠們移到安全的房間或籠子中。牠們會更高興，你也能更輕鬆。
記著，天氣轉涼時，我們的寵物也會感知到溫度的變化。牠們可能出現低溫症，所以要時刻待在暖的房間和供應新鮮的飲用水。最後要小心寵物能接觸到的毒物、清潔劑和各種化學物。其中一種最典型的，但香港並不常見的，防凍液會吸引動物舔食，引致腎功能衰竭。
希望你能謹記這些危機，並遠離它們，跟動物有一個愉快的節日。
祝大家和寵物們恭喜發財！