Q: Our mother lives alone and recently lost her 17-year-old
poodle, Marty. She is talking about getting another poodle like
Marty, someday and my sister and I think that would be a good idea.
We even thought about getting her a puppy for Christmas, but a
friend told me this is a terrible idea. What do you think?
Q: Our mother lives alone and recently lost her 17-year-old poodle, Marty. She is talking about getting another poodle like Marty, someday and my sister and I think that would be a good idea. We even thought about getting her a puppy for Christmas, but a friend told me this is a terrible idea. What do you think?
A: I agree with your friend. Picking out a puppy is a very personal decision, one that takes a lot of thought. Making a choice for someone else is full of potential problems. What if your mother would rather wait a little while longer to pick out a new pet? What if she changes her mind and decides she wants to try a dog of a different breed? What if your choice just isn’t quite the right one for her?
Animal shelters are full of dogs and cats that have been returned because prospective owners have decided their new pet wasn’t quite the right one.
Your thoughts and sentiment are wonderful. And I bet your mother would be flattered to know you care so much for her. But here’s a better idea: Get your mother a gift certificate. That’s right, get her a certificate good for the dog (or other pet) of her choice. She picks it out when she is ready. You take care of the financial and other arrangements.
One of my friends gave this gift last year. He wrapped the certificate in box with a small stuffed dog. It turned out to be the best gift under the tree in that home. Hope it works as well for you.
Q: I remember hearing a story about a cat that got sick from drinking the water in the Christmas tree stand under the tree. Is this possible?
A: It sure is. A lot of holiday trees have dirt and even fertilizers or sprays on their bark when they come from a tree lot. These chemicals, and even the resins from the cut tree can get into the water you put in the tree stand. And if your pet drinks this contaminated water, he or she might become very ill.
While on the subject of pets eating the wrong things, let me remind you that ribbons, string and other wrappings are very dangerous if your pet ingests any. Keep all these away from your pets so that you don’t spend the holidays at a veterinary clinic.
Q: How dangerous is it to feed leftovers to our dog? Mom and Dad like to give Sparky some of the food from the table. … They say it is a family holiday tradition. Is it okay to do this just once a year?
A: I know that I may sound like a broken record, but this is one family tradition that could end up putting Sparky in the hospital. Don’t feed table scraps to your dog. Here’s why.
“People food” is too rich for most dogs and cats. Food that is high in fat can cause pancreatitis, a painful and sometimes deadly inflammation of the pancreas. Veterinary emergency clinics are always busy during the holidays treating pets suffering from this very preventable disease.
So tell your folks to try something new. How about this idea? Have your mom or dad keep a few dog treats on a plate on the table. When they give one of these to Sparky, he will think he’s getting some of their table food. Chances are, Sparky won’t care too much what treat he gets. As long as he gets something from the table, he’ll be happy. I bet this will work just fine.
