{"id":120,"date":"2015-02-14T05:00:29","date_gmt":"2015-02-14T09:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/?p=120"},"modified":"2022-07-08T14:42:16","modified_gmt":"2022-07-08T18:42:16","slug":"top-10-valentines-day-pet-dangers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/top-10-valentines-day-pet-dangers\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Valentine&#8217;s Day Pet Dangers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Valentine&#8217;s Day is all about love and all&#8230; But it can mean danger and a trip to the ER if you&#8217;re not careful with your sweet, loving pet.<\/p>\n<p>Here are 10 tips to live by on Valentine&#8217;s Day&#8230; and always.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"518\" height=\"434\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-121 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Puppy-and-kitten.jpg\" alt=\"Puppy and kitten\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Puppy-and-kitten.jpg 518w, https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Puppy-and-kitten-300x251.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 518px) 100vw, 518px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><strong>1. Beware of flowers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you&#8217;re going to offer flowers, they might as well be out of the reach of your pets. Not only because they&#8217;re not the recipient, but also because some flowers can be toxic. This includes lilies, tulips, Amaryllis, daisies, chrysanthemums and Baby\u2019s Breath!<\/p>\n<p>Flowers are easy to keep away from dogs\u2026 It can be tougher with a cat, so be aware of which flowers should be banned from your house.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>2. Beware of thorns<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As the song goes, &#8220;every Rose has its thorn.&#8221; Most Rose varieties may not be toxic, but their thorns can be harmful to pets, whether they play with them, bite them, step on them or swallow them.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>3. Beware of alcoholic beverages<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Alcohol can cause vomiting, lack of coordination, depression and tremors. At worst, it can lead to a coma, respiratory failure and death.<\/p>\n<p>And yes, I&#8217;m talking about pets.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>4. Beware of candy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Pets can choke on candy, or it can irritate or block there intestine. The same can be said about candy wrappers and lollipop sticks.<\/p>\n<p>Not convinced? Think it can&#8217;t happen? I remember performing surgery on April, a sweet, 8-year-old Dobie who had an intestinal blockage due to foreign bodies: a peanut butter cracker wrapper, foil and a straw! In addition to the blockage, the foreign material very caused her to \u201cbloat\u201d the night before\u2026 Fortunately she recovered well after surgery.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>5. Beware of chocolate<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Valentine&#8217;s Day and chocolate go hand-in-hand. However, chocolate is toxic for pets, and possibly deadly. It only takes 1.5 ounces of unsweetened chocolate to cause toxicity in a 10 pound dog. For cats, the toxic dose is even lower.<\/p>\n<p>In dogs, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, seizures and an increased heart rate. In cats, it can lead to an upset GI tract. At worst, seizures and death can occur.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>6. Beware of xylitol<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Xylitol is an artificial sweetener found in sugar-free gum and candy. It can cause a number of signs, from vomiting to seizures to fatal liver failure&#8230; It can also cause a rapid drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can lead to depression, loss of coordination and seizures. The treatment at home is to give food and a source of sugar (Karo syrup, pancake syrup) and to go straight to your family vet or the closest vet ER.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>7. Beware of candles<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Candles can attract curious pets and cause serious burns. They also can be a fire hazard if they are knocked over by a pet or its tail. Please be safe and don&#8217;t leave your pet alone in a room with a burning candle.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>8. Beware of wrapping material<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Wrapping paper, foil, tape, ribbon and bows are all potential dangers if ingested. Ribbon is probably the most deadly, as it can cut into the intestine, especially in cats.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>9. Beware of pets as gifts<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you are tempted to offer your Sweetie a kitten or a puppy for Valentine\u2019s Day, please think more long-term. Adopting a new pet is a big deal, it should not be based on an impulse. Instead, consider offering a gift certificate to adopt a pet at your local shelter, with the mention that \u201cwe should talk about it thoroughly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As a reminder, 99% of pets adopted from a pet store, no matter how cute they are, were born in a puppy mill.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>10. Beware of fatty food<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Sharing a delicious meal with your pet is a common temptation. Yet fatty food can cause a painful condition called pancreatitis, or inflammation (irritation) of the pancreas. This causes severe belly pain and vomiting. It\u2019s a classic scenario at family vets and emergency clinics after any major holiday or celebration. So please let your pet eat pet food, and enjoy your delicious Valentine\u2019s human meal.<\/p>\n<p>That said, have a wonderful Valentine&#8217;s Day!<\/p>\n<p>All you need is love&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Until next time,<\/p>\n<p>Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS, CVJ<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Valentine&#8217;s Day is all about love and all&#8230; But it can mean danger and a trip to the ER if you&#8217;re not careful with your sweet, loving pet. Here are 10 tips to live by on Valentine&#8217;s Day&#8230; and always. 1. Beware of flowers If you&#8217;re going to offer flowers, they might as well be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Top 10 Valentine&#039;s Day Pet Dangers | Dr Phil Zeltzman\u2019s Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A review of the top 10 dangers for pets on Valentine&#039;s day, written by a pet surgeon\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/top-10-valentines-day-pet-dangers\/\" 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He performs specialized orthopedic, neurologic, cancer, and soft tissue surgeries on dogs, cats, and small exotics at your family vet\u2019s hospital. After graduating in 1993 from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Liege in Belgium, Dr. Zeltzman simultaneously worked as a general practitioner, emergency vet, and journalist for three years in his native city of Paris, France. He completed a one-year internship at the University of Georgia, followed by a three-year surgery residency at Surgical Referral Service in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. He then worked as a surgeon for four years at a surgical practice in Cincinnati, Ohio, and an additional four years at a surgical practice in Whitehall, Pennsylvania. He is a board-certified surgeon and a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, a coveted professional achievement Dr. Zeltzman is also a certified surgeon for the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), having performed thousands of these procedures in dogs from less than 30 pounds to more than 250 pounds! The results of his work have been very impressive. Dr. Zeltzman\u2019s interests include all aspects of soft tissue, orthopedic, cancer, reconstructive, and neuro surgery, as well as physical therapy and emergency cases. He also has a strong interest in the prevention and treatment of obesity. His newest endeavor is stem cell therapy for arthritis, kidney disease, liver disease, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as well as tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA). Dr. Zeltzman knew he wanted to be a veterinarian since the age of 5 when his favorite TV shows were Flipper, Daktari, and Lassie. \u201cBecoming a veterinary surgeon has been a dream come true, and I am as passionate about my profession as I was when I first started,\u201d he says. In practice, Dr. Zeltzman\u2019s goal is to offer the best surgical care, the safest anesthesia, and the utmost pain management to all of his patients. Actively involved in teaching, lecturing, and publishing, both locally and internationally, Dr. Zeltzman has published two books: Cocker Spaniels: A Practical Guide for People Owned by a Cocker and Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound, a book on weight loss for both dogs and people, co-written with Rebecca Johnson. He also writes a monthly award-winning newsletter for true dog and cat lovers. It is read in all 50 States, as well as more than 40 foreign countries. This newsletter has evolved into his blog. As a Certified Veterinary Journalist (CVJ), blogger, columnist, and award-winning author, his goal is to write meaningful articles, newsletters, and books that will make a difference in the lives of pets and their owners. He has published numerous articles in national and international veterinary journals, and is currently working on several book projects. He is also a prolific speaker. Dr. Zeltzman is a member of the Cat Writers\u2019 Association, the Dog Writers\u2019 Association and the Authors\u2019 Guild. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the Lehigh Valley Veterinary Medical Association (LVVMA), and the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). 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Zeltzman","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1c4906cf28046a4e3991c94ad9fefbe1b1a74c267307ac5746f5e84321e1ac9b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1c4906cf28046a4e3991c94ad9fefbe1b1a74c267307ac5746f5e84321e1ac9b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Dr. Phil Zeltzman"},"description":"Dr. Phil Zeltzman is a traveling board-certified veterinary surgeon, servicing the areas of Allentown (Lehigh Valley), Bethlehem, Easton (Northampton County), Reading (Berks County), Jim Thorpe (Carbon County), Stroudsburg (Monroe County), Quakertown (Bucks County), Pottsville (Schuylkill County), and Harrisburg\/Mechanicsburg (Dauphin County) in Pennsylvania, as well as parts of Western New Jersey. He performs specialized orthopedic, neurologic, cancer, and soft tissue surgeries on dogs, cats, and small exotics at your family vet\u2019s hospital. After graduating in 1993 from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Liege in Belgium, Dr. Zeltzman simultaneously worked as a general practitioner, emergency vet, and journalist for three years in his native city of Paris, France. He completed a one-year internship at the University of Georgia, followed by a three-year surgery residency at Surgical Referral Service in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. He then worked as a surgeon for four years at a surgical practice in Cincinnati, Ohio, and an additional four years at a surgical practice in Whitehall, Pennsylvania. He is a board-certified surgeon and a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, a coveted professional achievement Dr. Zeltzman is also a certified surgeon for the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), having performed thousands of these procedures in dogs from less than 30 pounds to more than 250 pounds! The results of his work have been very impressive. Dr. Zeltzman\u2019s interests include all aspects of soft tissue, orthopedic, cancer, reconstructive, and neuro surgery, as well as physical therapy and emergency cases. He also has a strong interest in the prevention and treatment of obesity. His newest endeavor is stem cell therapy for arthritis, kidney disease, liver disease, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as well as tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA). Dr. Zeltzman knew he wanted to be a veterinarian since the age of 5 when his favorite TV shows were Flipper, Daktari, and Lassie. \u201cBecoming a veterinary surgeon has been a dream come true, and I am as passionate about my profession as I was when I first started,\u201d he says. In practice, Dr. Zeltzman\u2019s goal is to offer the best surgical care, the safest anesthesia, and the utmost pain management to all of his patients. Actively involved in teaching, lecturing, and publishing, both locally and internationally, Dr. Zeltzman has published two books: Cocker Spaniels: A Practical Guide for People Owned by a Cocker and Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound, a book on weight loss for both dogs and people, co-written with Rebecca Johnson. He also writes a monthly award-winning newsletter for true dog and cat lovers. It is read in all 50 States, as well as more than 40 foreign countries. This newsletter has evolved into his blog. As a Certified Veterinary Journalist (CVJ), blogger, columnist, and award-winning author, his goal is to write meaningful articles, newsletters, and books that will make a difference in the lives of pets and their owners. He has published numerous articles in national and international veterinary journals, and is currently working on several book projects. He is also a prolific speaker. Dr. Zeltzman is a member of the Cat Writers\u2019 Association, the Dog Writers\u2019 Association and the Authors\u2019 Guild. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the Lehigh Valley Veterinary Medical Association (LVVMA), and the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). He is a monthly contributor to veterinarypracticenews.com and a regular contributor to Dog Fancy, PetsAdviser.com, and PetHealthNetwork.com.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DrZeltzman"],"url":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/author\/phil\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2023,"href":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120\/revisions\/2023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}