Pre-Planning Your Pet Care

With so much going on, Christmas can be an unsettling time for our pets, routine goes out of the window and new things come into the home. Now is the time for getting prepared for your pet’s needs this festive season.

We all know what a chaotic time Christmas can be – gifts to buy, loved ones to see, school plays to watch, work parties to dance at, the list goes on. At this time of the year, it is easy to forget about our pets and what they may need in the run-up to the big day. Hopefully, our handy list will help to ensure you tick everything off and keep your pet happy and healthy during the festivities and into 2018:

Christmas Care
One of the most important things to consider, as animal boarding homes and pet sitters are usually at their busiest during the festivities – have you organised care for your pet if you are going away this Christmas? Kennels and catteries are great places for your four-legged friends to enjoy a holiday of their own, whilst pet sitters who stay in your home offer their everyday comforts. For smaller pets like rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs if a sitter or boarding is not an option, ask a friend or animal-loving neighbour to feed them and let them stretch their legs.

Walkies
The mornings may be dark and drab and evenings filled with festive things to do, but do not forget that dogs still need their regular walks. If you can, stick to your usual routine as best you can, to keep them content. If you are worried that your dog will not be getting their usual amount of action, you can always hire a dog walker to take them out for a walk while you are busy.

Remember The Food
While you are stocking up for the family feast, remember to get enough food for your pet to last them throughout the celebrations – after all, it can make them poorly if they start tucking
into yours. Bulk buy their favourite food and why not treat them to a few specialist biscuits? Tis the season!

Vet Check
With everything else needing your attention, it can be easy to let top up flea and worming treatments, vaccinations or stocking up on medication be forgotten about, but it is important that you put these on your calendar to keep your pet healthy. If you are not sure when the next appointment is due or if you will run out of medication for your pet over Christmas, just call your vet surgery to ask.

Beware Of Tinsels, Treats, And Toddlers
Christmas brings plenty of new, exciting things to the house – but beware, these new things can cause problems for your pets. Decorations, such as tinsel, baubles, and lights can be attractive objects to play with but are easy to swallow or get tangled up in. The treats on offer can be just too tempting to resist, not just for us humans but for pets too. Do not forget chocolate can be very harmful to pets, so make sure that they cannot get their paws in the tin!

One other thing that can make our pets feel stressed is visitors – especially young children. If you have got little family members visiting, make sure they know the boundaries and how to pet your furry friend, to keep them as relaxed as possible!

By Shelley Welti