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Enjoy The Super Bowl Safely With Your Pets

Post by Blog Manager Robbi Hess 

Unless you and your pet have been living under a rock, or under many inches of ice and snow you must know that Super Bowl Sunday is fast approaching! If you’re having a get together you want to make sure you enjoy the Super Bowl safely with your pets because when the action gets heated in the game or during the Puppy Bowl or the Budweiser tugging-at-your-heartstrings commercial, it might be easy to lose track of what Fido and Fluffy are up to.shutterstock_23729353 (2)

What can you do to amp up the fun for your guests while keeping your pets out of harm’s way? Here are a few things to keep in mind because some of the food you enjoy on game day can be harmful or even fatal to your pets:

  • A favorite among game viewers are chips and dip The onions and garlic in dip can damage your pet’s red blood cells and lead to her becoming anemic. Onions are also toxic. Food that contains high amounts of salt, like potato chips, if consumed can lead to excessive thirst, frequent trips to visit Mother Nature and could lead to sodium poisoning.
  • A game day staple, alcohol, is a toxin and even in small amounts can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty breathing or even death. Couple that with the fact that many drinks are fruity scented, and flavored, and you can see why your pet would be drawn to it. Caffeinated beverages should also be off limits to your pet as they can lead to an elevated heart rate and could even prove fatal to your pet.
  • The avocado found in guacamole can be fatal for birds, it’s not clear how toxic guacamole can be to cats and dogs but veterinarians do not recommend feeding anything to your pet that contains avocado.
  • Sweet treats such as ice cream or chocolate are problematic snacks; chocolate can be fatal to your pet. Ice cream, because of the dairy, can lead to upset stomachs, vomiting and diarrhea.
  • The health benefits of nuts for humans are many, but the problems they can cause for your pets are a cause for concern – and for keeping the nuts away from your pet. In addition to nuts being a choking hazard, macadamias are considered poisonous for pets and can lead to fever, elevated heart rate, muscle tremors and weakness.
  • If chicken wings will be part of your game day treats, make certain the bones are kept well out of reach of your dogs and cats. Bones can become lodged in your pet’s throat or digestive tract. If bones are chewed and swallowed, the sharp edges can puncture the stomach lining of your cat or dog.

As with any holiday get together, make certain your pets have a safe place to which they can escape if necessary. Keep track of them when your guests are entering and exiting the house. Make sure you have pet-friendly snacks on hand, such as these zucchini treat dog biscuits, that  you can tempt your pet with so he or she won’t be tempted to nibble off the plates of the guests.

Enjoy this video to get yourself into Super Bowl spirit!

(Photo Shutterstock: Kitten Playing Football)

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