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Festive Foods
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The festive season is one of the busiest for staff at Valley Farm Animal Hospital, we deal with more emergencies at this time than any other time of the year. Food-related problems are among the more common emergencies.
During this December/January holiday period we all tend to overindulge and, unfortunately, that extends to our pets.
It is important that you know that foods such as chocolate, onions, grapes, nuts and avocados can be toxic to pets, so please don’t feed them any of these. Xylitol the artificial sweetener is found in many products and can cause liver damage, please take care when giving human food as a treat.
Braai time can also be a hazard for pets; mealie cobs are a common cause of intestinal obstruction that require an operation. Sosati sticks that are eaten can also cause very serious problems, especially if they perforate the intestines. Biltong is very salty and fatty and should not be given as a treat to pets.
We strongly suggest that you do not give your dog bones. Bones can get stuck in the mouth or somewhere in the intestinal tract, again requiring surgery to remove. Bones can also become impacted, causing very sever constipation.
Be aware that large amounts of fatty food (cheese, fat from meat, butter, cream can cause a very painful and serious disease called pancreatitis.
Many pets fed food they are not used to get upset tummies; the extra excitement, lack of routine and hot weather can compound this.
There are plenty of pet treats on the market so it is not necessary to risk making your pet poorly. We have a Festive range in stock including an Advent calendar with dog treats, pet biltong, chew bones, catnip, popcorn, doggie chocolates, even “wine” and “beer”
Bon appetit.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”200px”][/vc_column][/vc_row]