Let’s face it, the holidays can be stressful and busy for us, so imagine how your Morkie feels! Lots of extra cooking, decorations, chocolates, scented seasonal plants. What are some of the things to watch for and how can you minimize the dangers?
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Too much – and the wrong – food
The holidays are a time when dogs can end up with severe digestive problems according to experts. The main reasons for this:
1. Rich, spicy human food that can make them sick. A dog that gets into leftover turkey, for example, can be in real trouble – bones, fatty meat, string, and gravy can pave the way to diarrhea and worse.
Fatty meats can trigger a painful condition in your Morkie called pancreatitis – dogs usually recover from mild cases, but if it’s severe, pancreatitis can lead to death.
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2. People food that dogs should not eat.
Chocolate is extremely toxic to small dogs like Morkies.
The ASPCA website has a complete list of common foods (and household chemicals) that are poisonous to your pet. (See the ASPCA’s list of bad foods here.) Maine ones you may run into around this time of year include:
- alcohol
- avocado
- chocolate
- grapes and raisins
- Macadamia nuts
3. Too many treats. Overdo even proper dog treats, and your Morkie could lend up with diarrhea.
4. Stuff that dogs just plain shouldn’t eat, like toothpicks, candy wrappers, ribbon, turkey bones, tin foil and more.
Easter lilies are just one popular plant this time of year that’s toxic to both dogs and cats.
Poisonous Plants
- Azaleas – eating just a few leaves can cause vomiting and diarrhea in your Morkie, and in severe cases, eating azaleas can cause a drop in blood pressure, coma, and even death.
- Tulips and Daffodils – the entire plant is poisonous to dogs, it’s the bulb that’s super toxic
- Amaryllis
- Easter lilies are also toxic, and extremely bad for cats too.
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Other Dangers
Easter fake grass can get stuck at the base of the tongue or stomach so that it can’t pass through your Morkie’s intestines. The possible result? Severe damage to the intestinal tract, and expensive abdominal surgery.
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The Great Escape
With company coming and going, your Morkie might find an opportunity to sneak out the door without you even knowing. And a tiny dog like a Morkie can quickly get underfoot with more people around and get injured.
Solution: Stick to your dog’s routine
So how do you protect your Morkie, short of canceling celebrations altogether?
Try your best to stick to his routine, especially regular walks.
You may want to remove your Morkie from the Party Central action if things get too hectic. A quiet room or his crate is a far better solution than a stressed-out dog.
Don’t assume your partner or someone else is watching the dog; be explicit about who’s in charge and plan for your Morkie’s needs.
Plan ahead
For an ounce or two of prevention, make sure your Morkie has his tag on at all times, with your current phone number on it. Check out which emergency vets will be open in your area over the holidays and stick that number up on the fridge along with your local poison hotline number.
