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Holidays can be harmful to your 'hungry' pets.
"Whatcha eating?" Nipper, my Cocker Spaniel asked, sitting down in front of me, an expectant look on his fuzzy little face.
"Grapes," I replied.
"Can I have one?"
"It's 'may' I have one, and the answer is no. Grapes are bad for dogs."
"Oh, c'mon, just one won't hurt," he sighed.
"No way," I said firmly. "I'm a responsible pet owner and besides, I'm not in the mood to drag out the carpet cleaner to clean up the results."
He made a few growly noises under his breath as he trotted into the kitchen to see what was in his bowl.
That little stinker was cussing at me and I don't care. I'm not giving him grapes or anything else that I know is bad for dogs.
This is the time of year when pets are most vulnerable to ingesting things that are bad for them.
Dr. Joseph Bruner of Greater Cincinnati Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Services knows this firsthand.
"We see a lot of animals in the clinic who have eaten things they shouldn't during the holiday season," he said. "But owners can avoid trouble by being aware of potential problems before they happen."
The first thing that Bruner cautions owners against is feeding their dogs and cats table scraps.
"If you want to give them something special, give them a pet treat like a Milk-Bone. It doesn't matter what they are getting, just that they are getting something from you."
"Feeding them from the table," he said, "is just setting them up for digestive trouble. It is best to keep them on their regular diet."
What we really need to protect our pets from can be divided into two categories: Foods and decorations.
For example, chocolate is toxic to dogs. It can cause upset stomachs and even death.
The worst offender, according to Bruner is baker's chocolate. As small an amount as one square can be deadly.
Another is foods containing the artificial sweetener Xylitol. It is most commonly used in sugar-free chewing gum.
It is very toxic to dogs and cats, causing life threatening hypoglycemia, so keep all sugar-free candies in a safe place.
Other foods that are known to be harmful are grapes and raisins that can damage the kidneys. That means that fruitcake is definitely off limits.
"Keep them away from onions, garlic, chives and other foods from that category," Bruner cautioned. "They cause anemia. For example, a package of onion soup mix can be deadly."
As if our pet's breath isn't bad enough, we have to worry about this.
"Be careful where you place food items if you have pets in the house," he said. "Don't put snacks out on the coffee table where they will be able to reach them, or food gifts under the Christmas tree."
The second category of "stuff" we need to be mindful of is ornaments and decorations.
Cats in particular, love houseplants. Poinsettias, mistletoe and holly are toxic. So keep them out of reach or better yet, go with artificial plants just to be safe.
One of the most common problems Bruner sees is pets eating tinsel and long, thin ribbons
"If you have an animal, don't use either one," he sighs. "They see this shiny stuff and think, 'Mmmm, that must be good to eat' and it is just not worth it."
How do we know when to call the vet?
"When your pet suffers from vomiting and/or diarrhea, has a loss of appetite or has ingested what you know is a bad thing," said Bruner. "It is better to be safe than sorry."
The main thing is to try to think like a dog or a cat during the holiday season.
What would you want to get into? Be mindful of their needs and temptations and keep those things out of paws reach.
Just a few extra minutes may save you and your four footed pal from having to make an emergency run to the vet while the rest of the family is having fun celebrating.
