Caring for Pets over the Festive Period

Christmas, as we all know, is a special time of year. It’s a time for giving gifts, indulgence and festivities; but whilst enjoying yourself, spare a thought for your pets too.

First of all, whilst buying gifts for friends, family and loved ones, why not get one for your cat or dog too? Everybody enjoys the occasional treat, and animals are certainly no different. There are gifts aplenty to consider for your feline friend or pooch pal to enjoy. A smart new collar could provide you with the perfect present solution? A new chew, bone or toy for them to play with and destroy by Boxing Day. Maybe even a new bed for them to relax with a bit more room and comfort whilst you’re off preparing for the New Year celebrations.

Of course, the best gift you can probably give a pet, new or old, is a fully inclusive insurance policy. Unglamorous it may be, but essential it certainly is. You can get nothing more important for a pet as it will ensure that they can continue a long and healthy life in your home with plenty more Christmases to enjoy.

Specialist dog insurance will help your canine companion keep fit and well by ensuring that you never have to think twice about taking them to the vets for treatment. As fully inclusive coverage will ensure that you won’t need to be worried about paying for surgery, check-ups and medicines, all except an excess of course, you can get the best possible healthcare for your dog right throughout its life. The same of course is true for their cat counterparts. Cat insurance is equally important, and growing in popularity all the time. It’s there to provide you with a helping hand when you need it most. Paying for vets fees can be a daunting prospect, particularly if major surgery is required, although no doubt losing your cat is even more heart breaking; cat insurance can help soften the blow of both. All insurance policies are unique, so work out exactly what you need, have a search around and track down the perfect one for your pet – and budget of course. pet insurance isn’t the only thing you should be doing to ensure you pet is safe and healthy this Christmas. Both cats and dogs are highly intelligent animals and require regular attention; so whilst you’re off carving the turkey and enjoying a small nip of festive sherry, don’t forget to include them in your plans.

Don’t, however, feed them a lot of the rich and fatty foods that you and your family may be eating. Their digestive systems are different to a human’s, so giving them treats like chocolate could do them more damage than good. By all means find them specialist animal treats so that you can involve them in your own celebrations, but as a pet owner you have to be responsible for their wellbeing.

Smaller animals can also struggle with the plunging temperatures, so make sure that they aren’t kept in cold conditions or forced to go out for walks without something to cover them. The cold can affect joints, just as it can in humans, and cause infections and general discomfort for animals. On the other hand though, larger breeds might be adverse to the warmth that a kitchen or lounge may provide with so many people around. Cranking up the temperature on the thermostat might ensure that all of your human house guests are kept warm and comfortable throughout the festive period, but don’t forget about your pet; large dogs and cats with thick fur can suffer in intense heat, so always make sure they are able to have a space to retreat to in order to cool down and plenty of fluids on the go too. Noise is quite a significant issue throughout the festive period. Whether it’s caused by parties or fireworks, you need to make sure that if your dog or cat is susceptible to loud noises that they aren’t put under any undue stress whilst you’re enjoying yourself. Find them a quite area if at all possible, or offer them regular comfort to ensure that they are at ease.

So whatever happens this Christmas, enjoy yourself but don’t forget your pets. Give them all the love and attention they deserve and feel free to lavish them with suitable gifts to ensure they enjoy the festive period just as much as you do.

Here are a few things you can do for your pet this Christmas:

• Involve them in Activities
• Don’t Feed Chocolate
• Comfortable Temperature
• Don’t Expose to Loud Noises
• Feed them Usual Food