Anytime food preparation is underway,
food scraps, wrappers and more end up in the garbage. Inevitably, household
animals help themselves to that tempting trash. In the holiday season,
decorations become fodder as well.
“You don’t want your dog to pig out on
chocolate or leftover pizza, chicken or turkey—anything with a high percentage
of fat can lead to pancreatitis (inflammation and swelling of the pancreas,
which can cause permanent damage and be fatal)," says Martha Gearhart,
DVM, owner of Pleasant Valley Animal Hospital, Pleasant Valley, N.Y. “Raw bones
are digestible, but their sharp points are dangerous, and cooked bones are very
brittle and can shatter [once eaten].”
The odor of food or blood attracts
animals to garbage, sometimes with tragic results—Gearhart’s brother’s dog ate
the plastic wrap and Styrofoam tray from a package of meat, killing the dog.
“It didn’t show up in the X-ray, but the points from the Styrofoam punctured
the lung,” she recalls.
Boredom and separation anxiety can make
animals explore trash cans or pounce on decorations, Gearhart says. “Some dogs
have a passion for salty, smelly socks!” she notes. “I had one dog that enjoyed
knocking down glass ornaments and biting on decorative balls.”
Cats eating tinsel is so common that tinselitis is a veterinary term. “Cats won’t eat
tinsel from the garbage can, but will be attracted to tinsel on a tree,” warns
Gearhart.
I discovered that myself—my own cat once
ate tinsel. I found out when she eliminated it, tangled in balls of poop that
she dragged around the apartment. I was lucky to get her to the veterinarian in
time for treatment.
Dogs may eat used tampons or sanitary
pads, which cause dangerous internal obstructions, Gearhart says.
There is string in a roast or bird, and
string is severely dangerous—it causes internal damage. Cats are more likely to
eat string than are dogs, notes Gearhart.
Prevention First
Prevention is the best way to protect
animals from garbage:
·
Rinse
wrappers, containers and packaging before pitching them.
·
Lock
garbage under the sink or on the porch.
·
Use
trash cans with tight-fitting lids (heavy, self-closing cans for households
with large dogs).
·
Move
garbage from indoors to well-secured outdoor containers.
·
Put
tinsel and breakable decorations high up, out of reach.
·
Put
a decorated tree in a room with a door—and keep it closed.
·
Keep
dogs away from dangerous and tempting situations.
As Gearhart notes, “I’m all for crate
training. They feel better and more secure.”
Protective Measures
If precautions fail, the best thing to
do is call your veterinarian, who might have you come in to get a
vomit-inducing drug. Or, they may encourage you to induce vomiting, unless the
animal ate something sharp, acidic or caustic.
In some instances, your veterinarian
might have you wait—it can take up to 5 days for elimination. Regardless, work
with your veterinarian to find the best “cure” for your pet.
Here’s to a safe diet, and holiday
season, for your animals!