Holiday dangers for dogs. How you can keep your pet safe this season

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PALO ALTO, Calif. - It’s that time of year marked with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, travel, special dinners and treats, house guests in and out, and a spike in respiratory illnesses. While all true for people, these are considerations for dogs too. Veterinarians in the Bay Area are offering ways to keep your furry family members healthy and safe.

Increase in canine illnesses

Veterinarians note canine illnesses can spread more easily this time of year, with many dogs being placed in boarding facilities as their owners enjoy holiday travel.

"It’s common for this to flare up in the winter because people are boarding their pets more, so dogs are in shared areas at boarding facilities more often, and can more easily get sick," Dr. Kevin Lew at VCA Lewelling Animal Hospital in San Leadro explained to KTVU in an email.

Lew said the best way to protect dogs is to take preventive measures through vaccines.

"Stay up to date on your pet’s vaccinations. Vaccines protect our animals against major illnesses, and if pets will be in boarding or doggy daycare, it’s critical that they are up to date on their vaccines for illnesses like influenza and Bordetella," he said.

Dig deeper:

There’s also a timeline to consider in an effort to ensure those vaccines are the most effective.

Dr. Michael Hyder, medical director at VEG ER for Pets in Palo Alto, reminded pet owners that it takes time before a vaccine offers protection.

"I would advise that pet parents try and get their vaccine appointments and those physical exams with their vet at least a month prior to their vacationing planning. So that will allow plenty of time for the vaccine to reach its full potential in your pup. Because it doesn't happen day-one that you give that vaccine," he said, adding, "As a default, I do like a month because that tends to encompass even some variability in there."

Local perspective:

Hyder also said that the conditions in the Bay Area can be friendly to the spread of canine respiratory diseases like Bordetella or kennel cough.

"There is indeed an uptick currently as we're shifting into winter months," he said, also noting, "The Bay is wonderful weather for not just people, but for things like viruses to live a little bit longer on those hard surfaces. It's, you know, not too hot, not too cold. Can be a little bit moist to help things grow, if you will. And that does include viruses and bacteria."

The region is also more densely populated with people, which often goes hand in hand with a higher population of pets.

"We have mountains and valleys and people tend to live more in the valleys and so our population is a little more increased and so then is our pet population. So it is quite normal to see an increase in those sort of ‘moderate and severe’ levels of infectious disease in areas like this," the veterinarian said.

VEG ER has locations around the Bay Area and offers emergency and urgent care for dogs, cats and other pets.

Holiday food dangers

Hyder said pet emergency clinics get very busy around this time, with an uptick in four-legged patients often after a holiday dinner or the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas.

"We tend to see a little bit more during these times. And it is largely a component of they have gotten into or snuck into something that they wouldn't because there's a lot more variables. You know, the family's over, we've got someone staying in the spare room, and they have their suitcase and, you know, people that sort of break up the routine and habits of our pets that they're used to," the veterinarian explained to KTVU in an interview on Tuesday.

Hyder suggested, as a precaution, if you are hosting people in your home, take a moment to have a conversation with your guests about what food items to keep away from your pet.

The list of prohibited items for dogs includes chocolates, grapes, raisins, avocados, garlic, onions, macadamia nuts, and alcohol.

There are, of course, specific food allergies your canine may have. And a big one, the veterinarian noted, was xylitol, found in many sugar-free products, ranging from peanut butter to toothpaste.

"Please check the ingredients. And if it has xylitol in them. Quite frankly, I recommend trying to find an alternative if you have a dog at home, because it requires an incredibly small amount of exposure to cause incredibly profound sickness and life-threatening sickness in dogs," Hyder said, noting, "Sugar-free gums tend to have a high volume of xylitol in them. Be cautious as we have more friends and family and maybe stocking stuffers that might contain some of these things."

Safely feeding human treats

The vet also said, if you want your dog to join in the festivities through food, be discerning about what you feed your furry family member.

"Try and stick to lean meats that are not highly seasoned or very fatty. So those are going to be things like a little bit of turkey, a little bit of chicken, things of that nature. And, or very simple carb sources, again, not very heavily seasoned. So things like white rice, sweet potato. For clarity, all of these things should be cooked and not raw," the vet said, adding, "Fun fact: Raw potatoes are actually quite a toxin that pets can get into, so use some caution."

The animal care expert said pet owners should be extra vigilant as this time of year lends itself to greater risk of pets unintentionally ingesting items.

What you can do:

"So big things to watch out for are while you're prepping your holiday meals, and you may be using seasonings like onion and garlic and whatnot. Use an extra step of precaution; get a little baby gate to avoid your pet being able to be in the kitchen while you are prepping a meal that you're probably not prepping every day by habit and also breaking up the routine," Hyder said.

What to look out for?

And what if your dog gets into something it’s not supposed to or maybe your pet has contracted a serious illness?

Hyder said look out for unusual behavior and said pet owners should go with their gut if they believe their dog is suffering from an ailment.

"It’s a little bit tailored to each animal's habits. But in general, if you see something that feels weird and gives you that gut vibe of, this isn't normal, it is worth a call to a veterinarian," he said.

Those warning signs could be a noticeable drop in appetite, vomiting, or lethargy.

"Or it could be things that are even scarier, like collapse or massive big breaths that they're taking that are very strange or very scary sounding, anything of that sort, of course, call and come right into a vet. In general, if it seems weird, you're probably right. Your gut vibe is probably correct, and you should give a veterinarian a call."

In the event pet owners need to bring their animals in, and their veterinarians are not available, VEG ER is open 24 hours, seven days a week, even on holidays.

Bay Area locations include Palo Alto, Pleasant Hill, San Jose, and San Ramon.

Free advice over the phone

VEG ER experts are also on hand for free consultations if you believe your pet's health may be in danger.

"You can call and speak with us for advice. It's not a charge. It's simply a community service for us to help inform. So if you feel like something is concerning, please don't hesitate to call one of your local Veg ER for Pets," Hyder said. "And yes, holidays do tend to have an uptick in how often people come to us."

VCA Animal Hospitals also have 24-hour emergency care centers in the Bay Area, located in San Leandro, Antioch, and Walnut Creek.

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