Experts share pet safety tips for the holidays

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - As the holidays are approaching and the house gets hectic with the hustle and bustle of meals, visitors and travel, experts are sharing tips to keep your pets safe. 

Dr. Andrea Stevens, DVM, at the Portland Veterinary Clinic warns that with folks coming and going, an open door can mean a quick escape. 

"Let's make sure that pets are not getting out and getting lost in the street,” said Stevens. “So, make sure we've got a collar on. Make sure you've got tags and a microchip up to date."

Also, as the turkey gets carved and served, Dr. Stevens reminds us that vet clinic visits tend to spike at Thanksgiving due to one reason: the food. 

"The main foods you want to avoid during Thanksgiving would be onions, bones, anything that's really fatty, anything that's extremely sweet,” said Dr. Stevens. “So no chocolate, no pies, no desserts. We want to avoid garlic, raisins, grapes. There's a whole list of foods we want to try to avoid.”

The Portland Veterinary Clinic generally sees animals suffering from stomach issues after fido finds the turkey. 

“We really have to be careful of chicken and turkey bones. They like to splinter as they move through the intestinal tract, and that can cause problems for other parts of the GI tract as well as other organs in the body,” said Dr. Stevens. “We also worry about ham bones or other large bones getting stuck in the GI tract that can cause a blockage and be life threatening.” 

So if you notice something not quite right with your pet after the Thanksgiving meal, a call to your vet may be needed. 

“If you see your pet vomiting after Thanksgiving or you see them straining to go to the bathroom laying around, we definitely need to see them right away,” said Dr. Stevens. “They could have had access to bones. They could have eaten something really fatty and their pancreas could be upset. We need to check them out before it gets worse.” 

Attention also needs to be paid to preparing your pet for travel. 

“If you're going to travel for the holidays, make sure that your pets are up to date on vaccines. Call your boarding facility, call your veterinarian, make sure everything's up to date,” said Dr. Stevens. “If you're traveling in the car and they get anxious, talk to your veterinarian about a possible sedative or something just to calm them during that time.”