Holidays with your four-legged friend

Christmas is just around the corner - in addition to cookies, all sorts of decorations are slowly piling up and planning for the banquet is also in full swing. But beware, there are all kinds of dangers lurking for our furry darlings during this beautiful and peaceful Christmas season.

In order to avoid the stressful visit to the vet and worry about their sick animal, you should consider a few simple things - because who can look after their four-legged friend every second in the hustle and bustle of the last preparations and during the many visits?!

Cookies, stollen and other Christmas treats also smell tempting for our four-legged friends. In addition to a lot of fat and sugar, which overwhelm the gastrointestinal tract, they often also contain raisins, chocolate, alcohol and nuts, which can be poisonous to our four-legged friends even in small amounts. Depending on the amount ingested, this can even be fatal - so should it happen, please be sure to consult a vet. Raw yeast dough can cause discomfort (bloating and constipation) or even alcohol poisoning. Unfortunately, even the remains of the holiday roast do not belong in the bowl - the many spices and fat can lead to gastrointestinal problems and the bones can cause constipation or even splinter and lead to serious internal injuries.

Unfortunately, the situation is similar with decoration and gift packaging - these things have no place in the mouth or stomach and can lead to serious complications (e.g. cuts or bowel obstruction). Therefore, gifts with gift ribbon and/or scented contents in particular should be kept out of reach. The glass ball and tinsel are also wonderful to play with, but they are easy to cut or swallow - so avoid them. Typical Christmas plants that are poisonous to our four-legged friends include in particular yew, poinsettia, mistletoe, Christmas roses and holly trees. Alternatively, you can of course make sure that your darlings only have access to all these sources of danger under observation.

A final point is burning candles. These can not only injure our animals but even lead to a house fire if they are knocked over. Therefore, the same applies here: switch to animal-safe alternatives (electric lights) or only use them under observation.

In general, you should remember that the Christmas season is a challenge not only for us, but also for our four-legged friends. The stress is transferred, the usual processes are mixed up and there are also many visitors. Since this can already be on the stomach, tried and tested food and treats should be used, especially during this time - as tempting as it is to share the goodies with our favorites. Also tell your guests how they should behave towards your four-legged friend on these points.

Should something get into your four-legged friend's stomach and have digestive problems, you can make Morosche Carrot Soup for him. But first make sure that he hasn't ingested any toxic substances and consult your vet. A recipe for Moroccan carrot soup You can easily find them anywhere on the Internet. Cooking carrots for a long time releases sugar molecules that settle on the intestinal wall and make it difficult for pathogens to attach themselves. These are therefore eliminated more quickly with food and your pet quickly gets better again.

The University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna has prepared the following overview with information on this topic. Here you can find all important points at a glance

If you pay attention to these dangers, nothing stands in the way of a happy and healthy holiday season. In case of an emergency, you should still have the contact details of your vet and the nearest clinic ready.

Filu wishes you a cozy and wonderful Christmas season!

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