Pets: Top 10 Holiday-Related Medical Conditions
PR Newswire Association LLC |
Top Holiday-Related Medical Conditions of 2011 |
Examples of Potential Holiday Hazards |
1. Gastritis (Vomiting) |
Ingesting "people" food, holiday plants (lilies, hollies and mistletoe) and Christmas tree water |
2. Enteritis (Diarrhea) |
Eating "people" food and scraps |
3. Colitis (Loose or bloody stool) |
Eating "people" food; holiday stress |
4. Pancreatitis (Inflammation of the pancreas) |
Eating fatty "people" food such as roasts, gravy, nuts, egg nog, etc. |
5. Gastric Foreign Body – Medical (Foreign object in the stomach) |
Ingesting Christmas tree decorations, ribbon, small gifts and bones from holiday meats |
6. Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (Bloody vomiting and diarrhea) |
Eating people food; holiday stress |
7. Intestinal Foreign Body – Medical (Foreign object in the intestines) |
Ingesting tinsel, other Christmas tree decorations and bones from holiday meats |
8. Gastric Foreign Body – Surgical (Surgical removal of foreign object from the stomach) |
Unable to pass Christmas tree decorations and bones |
9. Intestinal Foreign Body – Surgical (Surgical removal of foreign object from the intestines) |
Unable to pass tinsel, ribbons and bone fragments |
10. Methylaxanthine Toxicity (Chocolate toxicity) |
Eating chocolate or other caffeinated products |
Each of the conditions listed above makes for an unexpected and unwanted veterinary expense during the holidays for pet parents. The most expensive condition on the list, intestinal foreign body – surgical, cost an average of
In 2011, of the 267,915 claims processed during the holiday months (November through January), 24,262 were for conditions commonly associated with holiday festivities. Of those claims, 17,421 were associated with vomiting and diarrhea.
"Our data shows that most pet holiday accidents or injuries are related to pets eating people food or other holiday objects, such as tinsel, holiday houseplants, ornaments and ribbon," said Dr. McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. "Whether it's holiday food or decorations, pets have a knack for ingesting foreign objects, and it's important for pet owners to keep unsafe items out of reach."
VPI received 1,020 methylaxanthine (chocolate toxicity) claims in 2011. Of the claims, 227 were submitted in December, a 310% increase over the average of 73.3 methylaxanthine claims submitted during all other months throughout the year. In addition to December, February (
Although death only occurs in approximately 1 in every 3,000 chocolate intoxication cases, the ingestion of chocolate could result in vomiting, diarrhea, urination, hyperactivity heart arrhythmias, tremors and seizures. Whether it's chocolate or other harmful objects, in order to ensure a safe holiday season, pet owners should safeguard their homes and protect their furry friends from potential holiday dangers.
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