{"id":418,"date":"2020-11-01T21:37:38","date_gmt":"2020-11-01T21:37:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/?p=418"},"modified":"2020-11-01T21:37:38","modified_gmt":"2020-11-01T21:37:38","slug":"november-2020-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/november-2020-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"November 2020 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dangers of Thanksgiving Table Food and Your Pets<\/a>
\nDeclawing Your Cat and Why It\u2019s Not Humane<\/a>
\nThe Importance of Socializing Your Dog<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>
\nDangers of Thanksgiving Table Food and Your Pets<\/strong>
\nPeople look forward to Thanksgiving all year long. It\u2019s definitely a holiday where people love to gather around the table. If you have pets, they probably like to hang out under that table waiting for food to drop.<\/p>\n

Feeding pets table scraps is especially dangerous during Thanksgiving. According to the article, \u201cThanksgiving pet safety,\u201d at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), \u201cFatty foods are hard for animals to digest. Poultry bones can damage your pet\u2019s digestive tract. And holiday sweets can contain ingredients that are poisonous to pets.\u201d<\/p>\n

The article offers important tips:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Keep pets away from turkey, which can cause pancreatitis. Other poisonous foods include onions, raisins, and grapes.
\n\u2022 Desserts are too rich for pets and chocolate is very dangerous. Xylitol, used in some sugar-free baking, can be deadly to dogs and cats.
\n\u2022 Yeast dough may cause gas and dangerous bloating in pets.
\n\u2022 Keep the trash shut tight and away from pets so they can\u2019t get to the turkey carcass, any bones, or any string.<\/p>\n

\u201cCats are actually more susceptible to the toxic effects of onions, garlic and chives; however, dogs are also at risk,\u201d according to the article, \u201cDogs at Thanksgiving: Avoid These Dangerous Foods for Dogs\u201d at Pet Central.<\/p>\n

The Pet Central article also points to the dangers of macadamia nuts, which, when ingested by dogs, \u201ccan cause weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia.\u201d Other nuts including almonds, walnuts, and pecans can also be dangerous to dogs because they are high in fats and oils.<\/p>\n

Keep your pets away from alcoholic drinks as well as salty snack foods.<\/p>\n

Make sure to watch your pets on Thanksgiving to ensure they don\u2019t ingest any harmful foods.<\/p>\n

If you fear your pet has ingested anything harmful, you can call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control number at 888-426-4435.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
\nDeclawing Your Cat and Why It\u2019s Not Humane<\/strong>
\nCats love to scratch and sometimes they get into things they shouldn\u2019t. From scratching furniture to other household items, it can seem like a nuisance for cat owners.<\/p>\n

Some owners turn to declawing. However, it\u2019s important to do your research before making any decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople often mistakenly believe that declawing their cats is a harmless \u2018quick fix\u2019 for unwanted scratching,\u201d according to the article, \u201cDeclawing cats: Far worse than a manicure\u201d at The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). \u201cThey don\u2019t realize that declawing can make a cat less likely to use the litter box or more likely to bite. Declawing also can cause lasting physical problems for your cat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other countries have banned the practice, but it is still allowed in places in the U.S.<\/p>\n

Cats typically start to scratch at 8 weeks old, and it\u2019s normal for them. \u201cIt isn\u2019t done to destroy a favorite chair or to get even,\u201d the HSUS article said. \u201cCats scratch to remove the dead husks from their claws, mark territory, and stretch their muscles.\u201d<\/p>\n

When cats start scratching, it\u2019s time to teach them to use a scratching post.<\/p>\n

Declawing is much more involved than people realize. According to \u201cPosition Statement on Declawing Cats\u201d at the ASPCA.org, \u201cDeclawing of cats, or onychectomy, is the amputation of the last digital bone, including the nail bed and claw, on each front toe. If the surgery is performed correctly and the entire nail bed is removed, the claw cannot regrow. The surgery involves the risk of anesthesia, excessive bleeding and postoperative complications, including infection, and is accompanied by pain that may last from several days to much longer unless appropriate pain control is provided.\u201d<\/p>\n

It’s important to do research and speak with your vet or an animal behaviorist for alternatives.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
\nThe Importance of Socializing Your Dog<\/strong>
\nYou do so much to create a great life for your dog, from providing food, bedding, and playtime to toys and veterinary care. What about socialization? It is a very important part of keeping your dog healthy.<\/p>\n

\u201cImproperly socialized dogs risk their own health, pose an injury risk to others, and often jeopardize the ability to provide ideal medical care when it is needed,\u201d according to the article, \u201c4 Reasons Why Socialization is Important for Your Dog\u2019s Health\u201d at PetMD.com.<\/p>\n

Four reasons to socialize your dog are:<\/p>\n

1. When dogs are poorly socialized they are afraid of new circumstances, setting \u201coff neurological signals that result in hormone secretion by various glands in the body,\u201d the article said. It can lead to stress-related conditions.
\n2. It\u2019s very difficult for a veterinarian to conduct a full physical exam on an unsocialized dog.
\n3. Dog owners with poorly socialized dogs often limit exercise due to fear of encountering other dogs and people.
\n4. It can be difficult or impossible for a groomer to do their job on an unsocialized dog.<\/p>\n

Start socialization early. Also called \u201cProactive Exposure Training\u201d at Preventive Vet, it \u201ccan help to reduce the development of fears and anxieties in your growing pup,\u201d according to the article, \u201cHow To Socialize Your New Puppy and Why It\u2019s Important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Start getting your puppy used to new sights and sounds in the home, from the vacuum to the dishwasher. Bring him out to your yard to explore while he\u2019s on a leash to ensure he\u2019s safe. Introduce him to family and friends, including visitors in wheelchairs and those wearing hats. Make sure to take him on car rides and bring him to local shops that allow dogs.<\/p>\n

The more you socialize, the healthier your dog will be, and that\u2019s good for everyone involved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dangers of Thanksgiving Table Food and Your Pets Declawing Your Cat and Why It\u2019s Not Humane The Importance of Socializing Your Dog Dangers of Thanksgiving Table Food and Your Pets People look forward to Thanksgiving all year long. It\u2019s definitely a holiday where people love to gather around the table. If you have pets, they… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=418"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":419,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418\/revisions\/419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}