Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Howl-o-Ween Safety Tips from HOTLR!!

Put your seatbelts on, folks....it's that time of year again, the start of the holiday season....Halloween is this weekend, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and before you know it, Christmas bells will be ringing and Santa's bells will be jingling. Along with the chaos, excitement, joy and frenzy of the holidays, this time of year also presents unique opportunities for our pets to get injured and sick that we may not face during other times of the year.

There are lots of wonderful on-line resources posting information helping to remind us of the dangers to look out for during the holiday season. Below are a few links to some useful information and helpful reminders:

From rat poison, to poison mushrooms to snakes, find out what hidden dangers are more likely in the fall than during other seasons of the year in the ASPCA's article Autumn Safety Tips. Also, check out the Top Ten Pet Poisons of 2009 and know how to protect your pet.

The ASPCA even has a 24 hour, 365 days a year veterinarian staffed poison control hotline. Should you have a pet that has eaten something you may think poisonous and you cannot get your pet to his/her regular veterinarian, call the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline to find out your best line of defense. There is a $65 fee charged, but if you are in a life or death situation, the money is well spent. The fees charged allow the ASPCA to run the hotline and to keep a veterinarian on staff 24-7, 365 days a year. I recently used the hotline myself when my foster dog ate 40 antibiotic pills while we were on vacation. The ASPCA answered my questions, quickly and efficiently and let me know that my dog would suffer no long term health issues. What a great relief and wonderful resource!!

The Humane Society of the United States is another great resource offering lots of tips and info on good pet care. Check out their article on Halloween safety recommendations: Spare Your Pet the Spooks this Halloween.

So, remember, while it's a wonderful time of year to spend with family and friends including our four-legged furry ones, keep in mind the special considerations that come with the holiday season. We at HOTLR wish you a happy and healthy holiday season and ask you to look us up at your local Barnes & Noble starting in December. Come visit, chat, and get some Labrador love!!! We'll even wrap some gifts for you for free!!! Check out the HOTLR Events page to find out when we'll be at which B&N locations!! See you there!!




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