We Offer High-Quality Healthcare Services for Your Pets
Welcome to Lansdowne Animal Hospital Your local animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario
The Doctor(s) and staff of Lansdowne Animal Hospital are fully committed to providing compassionate quality care and services to all of our furry patients, as well as to all who entrust the well being of their special family members to our care. We strive to fulfill all of your expectations.
Pets and the Holidays
All Pets
This upcoming Holiday Season it is good to remember that all the delicious treats we give ourselves may not be good for our pets! Each year every vet clinic gets the calls from clients whose pet has gotten a hold of something they should not.
For our fur babies, human food is more rich, fatty, and spicy than dog food which can lead to gastrointestinal issues and even pancreatitis. Other times, your dog may have food allergies or adverse reactions. It is best not to give your dog any human food.
The most common example of dangerous human food is chocolate. Chocolate has ingredients such as caffeine and theobromine which are dangerous to dogs. Toxicities depend on percentage of cocoa powder, your dog’s weight, and amount ingested.
Other dangerous foods are:
Grapes and raisins that can cause acute kidney failure
Macadamia nuts that can cause complications in the gastrointestinal tract, tremors, and weakness
Xylitol, an artificial sweetener, can lower blood sugar levels below the normal - found in foods such as gum, certain peanut butters, and other sugar free foods
Avocado that contains persin which may lead to vomiting and diarrhea
Cats
When it comes to cats, one of the worst risks is not poinsettia’s, it is actually lilies and the reaction can be quite severe. Check any holiday arrangements and plants you may receive this year for lilies.
Catching exposures to all toxic lilies quickly is critical, kidney injury is a concern, and the patient needs to be treated aggressively at a veterinary hospital. It is often fatal if treatment is delayed longer than 18 hours after ingestion.
You can get more information about common and uncommon toxic risks to your pets on the Pet Poison Hotline at https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/