Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 18 December '85 21

Pet Patrol MARK W. LOGAN, V.M.D.

When your neighbors and friends wish you a happy and healthy holiday season, they may be including your pets in their greetings. This time of the year almost forces you to forget about your pets' health and safety because there are so many other things to be done such as wrapping gifts and preparing meals. Here are a few things which every pet owner should know so veterinary emergencies can be avoided. Even though your schedule may be different at this time of year, your pet's schedule continues unchanged. Try not to miss feeding times, water changes and most of all for the dogs, walks. RESIST THE temptation to allow your pet to roam free while you are entertaining or engaged in holiday activities. Pets which roam free get into trouble and can come home injured. or sick. Dog owners should use their leashes at all times and enjoy their holiday walks with their pets. Cat owners should try to keep their cats indoors if possible since it is easy to forget when the cat was "let out" during holiday festivities. A very cold "Garfield" may be shivering on the doorstep wishing to be let in while you are sipping your eggnog. HOLIDAYS ARE made of fruit cake, turkey, ham, candy canes, cookies and festive foods. However, your pet's holiday food should be the same as is normally fed during other times of the year. Please do not give your pets "treats" of turkey, turkey giblets, gravy, stuffing. cookies or anything else your family is enjoying at the table. The number one sickness in pets after the holidays is an upset digestive system with ensuing vomiting and diarrhea, due to the overindulgence of their owners. WHEN YOU ARE through with your turkey carcass (especially after making some great homemade soup) deposit the bones and discarded parts in the trash but make sure it is in a secure container, not a plastic bag lybh Groff Assigned To Keesler AFB MARMORA — Airman David X. Groff, son of Edwin L. and Katherine C. Groff of 19 Hilltop Dr., has been assigned to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., after completing Air Force basic training. Groff will now receive specialized instruction in the avionics systems field. He is a 1976 graduate of Marlboro High School.

ing next to your trashcans. Stray and unleashed animals will open plastic and paper bags to dine on the remains of your holiday dinner. Bones can become struck in the intestines of these marauders, and a painful gut with serious consequences can result. HOLIDAY decorations are an asset to your home decor, but can be hazardous to your pet if not hung with care. Poinsettias are poisonous as well as mistletoe (particularly the berries). Forget about using tinsel on your tree if you have a mischievous puppy or kitten. Tinsel sometimes gets eaten and does not always pass through uneventfully. Electric cords should be non-frayed and tucked out of sight to prevent pets from chewing on them. With a puppy, get all light cords out of reach; avoid tempting your pet into a dangerous habit. Glass ornaments are a welcome touch to any decoration scheme, but we all know that they break easily. Place breakable ornaments up off the lower branches of your tree and meticulously clean up the fragments of any shattered ornament. LIT CANDLES with an accumulation of hot wax can easily be tipped by children and pets alike. The wax may not cause a serious burn, but the damage to your furniture or capeting surely would not be appreciated. Try to decorate with candles placed on higher shelves to avoid disaster and a tough cleanup. Responsible humane societies always give the good advice that you should NOT adopt a pet during the holiday season. The same advice goes for purchasing a pet. Delay your decision or delivery until January and give a gift certificate or stuffed animal under the tree instead. BUY THE PET supplies and equipment you will need in December, and then select your pet at a later date to avoid "breaking your pet in" during a hectic time in your household. Holiday parties and pets do not mix well. A house full of guests is quite intimidating to your pet and can lead to temporary aggression, anxiety and possibly ill health. When you are having an open house, for example, place your pet(s) in an unused room to avoid contact with your guests. THIS ACTION will keep your pet calm and reduce the temptation of your guests to touch, grab and feed your pet. You may want to follow this advice with your guests in mind. Many people going to a holiday get-together are not visiting your pets and do no appreciate "Fifi" or "Snowball" jumping into their laps or clawing their sheer stockings. Happy holidays to you all and may your pets enjoy this season as you do, with their health and safety always in your mind.

Th < Sale tTr Get Your Do-lt-Yourselfers ^ (Green ireek & I _ The Tools They ^ Really Want! ^ SZATHMARY SUPPLY CO. \ ItiaKila. ~\ CHRISTMAS TIME T SPECIALS 8%" CIRCULAR SAW MODEL 5008NB 7V CIRCULAR SAW MODEL 5007NB kANCIMODEL^OOSBA fsi29& Im16"V V1 10"? ^ No. 3965 JL £ NO 3964 i NO 3952 AV^CIRCUWRSAW ORBITAL VARIABLE VARIABLE SPEED . . . _ SPEED JIG SAW RECIPRO SAW VS?7 J^<A'vvV^MODEL 4301BV MODEL JR3000V f$12i95V >$14495* >$12995^ 1 NO. 3962 1 A NO 3963 NO 3960 - ; >»yV^^^,R,LL msJS^ NO. 3959 NO 3953 ^1^ NO ,972 FIWSHRjIGSANDER ~JSkZ rNS' ^^7" SANDERmod°l*HoE7Rspb beltsander ^10^^ NO 3966 NO 3967 Helping "5* > ^~7itaJaia America -^z, Remodel mi mi