Dr. Katy's Tips For Keeping Your Fur-Kids Safe This Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, we hope that you get to spend lots of time with loved ones over delicious food!

But, as Freshpet friend and veterinarian Dr. Katy Nelson reminds us, there are some very important things to keep in mind this Thanksgiving in order to keep your fur-kid safe. We asked Dr. Katy to give us the inside scoop on what pet parents can do to prepare for the holiday. So, what tips does she have for us?

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Thanksgiving Pet Safety

The fragrant smell of Thanksgiving dinner permeating throughout your home is likely to whip your four-legged friend into a food frenzy. Unfortunately, the holiday meal could be lethal for your pet but by following a few simple precautions, you will ensure the upcoming holiday weekend will be happy and healthy for the entire family.

When planning for Thanksgiving, consider the following:

• Don’t give your animal different food than they would normal get. Feeding turkey to your dog or cat can cause him or her unwanted abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhea, none of which are welcome during this festive weekend.

• Discourage your family members and guests from indulging your pet with inappropriate snacks. Food high in sodium (especially peanuts and chips) and other fatty foods like poultry skin, beef or port fat can cause an inflammation of pancreas. Pancreatitis is potentially life-threatening condition.

• Dispose of aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and wax paper from holiday foods. If you pet can get to it, he or she will lick the food off foils or wraps. The swallowing of such coverings can cause an intestinal obstruction.

• Secure your garbage. It only takes a minute for your little scavenger to get into the garbage and wolf down whatever smells good-including the string used to tie the turkey.

• Keep chocolate away from you dog. Chocolate, which contains theobromine and caffeine, can be harmful to your pooch. Rapid breathing and hyperactivity are signs of bad reaction to chocolate.

• Turkey bones are also dangerous for you pet. Any brittle, spiky bone could lodge in the esophagus or cause an irritation of his or her stomach or intestines.

• Maintain his regular schedule for feeding and exercise. Minimizing the stress of animal means being aware of his daily routine and expectations. Pay as much attention to your pet as usual so that he will not feel neglected or insecure.

• Keep your pet home and away from parade celebrations. With the large crowds, your pet can become stressed or even worse, can get lost in the crowd.

• Make sure your furry friend has fresh water at all times. Frequently check your pet’s water bowl to make sure the supply is clean. Busy children and relatives may bump a bowl and spill the water.

• Provide a quiet refuge for your animal. With all the holidays fanfare, you pet will need a “time out” from visiting friends and family. A comfortable crate is one solution; a room with a “Do Not Disturb” sign is another. Give your dog or cat time and space to settle down or take a nap.

• Keep current registration and identification tags on you pet. With guests coming in and out of your home, it is very easy for a door to be left ajar and for your animal to wander off.

By being aware of these dangers to your pet, you can ensure both you and your pet the best possible holidays.


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Ticked Off! Picking Up After Your Pets

We have been asking our viewers what ticks them off and our new segment took us to a battle brewing on Capitol Hill and it isn't about politics. It turns out dog owners and homeowners are ticked off there!

The issue is what some of those dog owners are leaving behind in the homeowners' trash.

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Cuban Couple Keeps Rodents Called Hutias As Pets

Bainoa, Cuba (AP) — Some people keep guinea pigs or hamsters as pets.

But in Cuba, where a larger, more exotic rodent runs wild, Ana Pedraza and her husband prefer the hutia.

With a rope-like tail and long front teeth, the hutia looks like a giant rat, only cuter, some would say. They live in Cuba and other Caribbean islands where they are sometimes hunted for food.

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Have You Ever Wondered Why Your Cat Keeps Rubbing Against Your Leg?

Ever wondered why your cat keeps rubbing against your leg? Or why kitty goes crazy over catnip? Well, you're in luck.

A new YouTube video (below) from the American Chemical Society uses chemistry to answer these and other questions about familiar feline phenomena.

One watch, and everything will be purrfectly clear. Meow!

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Here's Why Dogs Kick Their Legs When You Rub Their 'Sweet Spot'

Fido just can't help himself. Each time you scratch that sweet spot on his belly, his hind leg starts kicking like crazy--but why?

Ultimately, it's all about self-preservation.

"Dogs kick when we scratch their belly because it's an involuntary reflex," Dr. Marc Bekoff, a canine expert based in Boulder, Colorado, and author of the book "Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed," told The Huffington Post in an email.

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If You Are Cold, They Are Cold - Please Remember to Bring Your Pets Inside!

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Tiny Thanksgiving for a Tiny Hamster and His Tiny Friends

It's the time of the year to give thanks, and out today is something we're extremely grateful for: another tiny hamster eating tiny foods video. This one is themed for Thanksgiving and features all your Turkey Day favorites.

The food, eaten by one extremely fuzzy bunny, two hamsters and one rat, was all safe for animals to consume, according to the creators of the video.

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Cold Weather Is Coming: Here's One Way to Help Outdoor Dogs

We’ve all witnessed dogs left to the elements during the cold winter months. You can allow frustration, anger, and a sense of helplessness to drag you down. Or, you can do something positive. The topic of outdoor dogs is a thorny one to be sure. Families struggle with a variety of issues from allergies to ignorance, and you’re never going to convince every last dog owner to see things your way. But, that doesn’t mean groups like Fences For Fido aren’t making a difference. This Oregon nonprofit caters to dogs chained outdoors by providing much-needed fencing, insulated dog houses, and free spay/neutering services. So what’s one way you can help dogs left out in the cold? Find an organization like this one in your area and volunteer! A little bit of your time can go a long way toward keeping dogs warm this winter.

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7 Reasons Why Pets Make Terrible Holiday Gifts

As we approach the holiday season, many of us will begin to brainstorm gift ideas for our friends and loved ones. Some of us are drawn to unique home goods; others are inclined to purchase electronics, books, or clothes for the special people in our lives. Still others consider a much more controversial gift: that of an animal, such as a puppy, kitten, hamster, baby chick or rabbit. Of course, when animals are given as gifts, they are usually purchased with the best of intentions. Who doesn’t want to see their child rejoice at the sight of a cute and cuddly puppy or kitten?

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How to Ask Dog Owners to Keep Their Pets Out of Stores

What's the correct way to ask someone to remove their dog from a store?

That's a question I'm still being asked in response to an earlier Ask Laz about whether dogs are allowed in businesses, especially businesses that sell food.

I acknowledged that I had been guilty in the past of taking my own dog into the supermarket.

After looking at the relevant federal, state and local laws, I concluded that "the impression you get is that non-service dogs aren't allowed in grocery stores or any other place that sells food."

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"Hopeless" Cleft Palate Puppy Now Has A Fantastic Life

When Ruby was born in December of 2013, she wasn’t given much hope for any kind of a future.  She was born with a cleft lip and palate, which made it virtually impossible for her to nurse.  Vets had advised she be put down.

After an attempt to care for her over the first five days of her life, the breeder she was born to had surrendered Ruby to the Utah Animal Advocacy Foundation in Salt Lake City.  She was very malnourished.



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These Mutts Show Us That Amazing Dogs Come In All Shapes And Sizes

There are many dog breeds out there, and then there are the mutts. We're talking about those that are part retriever, part poodle, part German shepherd and part mystery pup. Though mutts can sometimes get a bad rap, these mixed breeds are just as smart, playful and lovable as pure bred dogs. In fact, there are tons of reasons to adopt a mutt instead of buying a pure bred puppy.

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Following in His Father's Footsteps, Steve Irwin's Son Robert Doing Dad Proud by Carrying on His Animal Loving-Legacy

He was one-month old when wildlife expert Steve Irwin cradled his son in his arm while dangling a slab of meat over a crocodile waiting to be fed.

But Robert was just three years old when his father was tragically killed after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming in Australia's Great Barrier Reef in an underwater documentary film titled Ocean’s Deadliest.

Eight years on, Robert, now aged 10, has been following his father’s footsteps and carrying on his animal-loving legacy.

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