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Overindulgence

December 14, 2015

fast food, low carb diet, fattening and unhealthy eating concept - close up of chocolate pieces, jelly beans and glazed donuts behind no symbol or circle-backslash prohibition sign

We all tend to overindulge this time of year. Sometimes family members think the pets need “treats” at this time of year. Dishing out foods from their plates or cookies or other treats can cause stomach upset or even worse, pancreatitis. Turkey, ham and other fatty foods are large contributors to pets having to be hospitalized over the holidays. Signs of pancreatitis are:

To control this you can give your guests pre approved treats that your pet usually gets.
If you would like to be really festive you can mix some of your pet’s regular food with water to create a “dough” roll out and cut into shapes, then bake until crunchy.
Another trick you can try is cooking up some chicken or white fish, place pet’s kibble in a Ziploc baggie in the fridge overnight with the chicken or fish. The kibble takes on the flavour of the chicken and your pet thinks it’s getting something extra tasty.

Chocolate is very toxic and can be fatal to pets. It may be mistakenly given as treats or consumed by canines who seek it out on counter tops. Theobromine is the toxic compound found in chocolate. Signs which may appear within 1-4 hours of eating chocolate include:

The toxicity of chocolate depends on the amount and type of chocolate ingested;

Please call your veterinarian immediately if there is any suspicion of pancreatitis or chocolate ingestion.