Owners should be mindful of what furry friends eat

Friday, December 9, 2016

SIKESTON -- With all the holiday feasts around, it's not always easy for people to watch what they eat -- and maybe it's not the time or place to -- but veterinarians caution that people should always be mindful of what their furry friends eat.

Dr. Becky Smith-Durham is a veterinarian at the Animal Health of Sikeston. During the holidays, she said the clinic "most definitely" gets busier.

"People love their pets and want them to eat what they eat, but that is a big no-no" Smith-Durham said. "They don't have digestive tracts like humans."

The culprit: Food change, so keep those scraps on the table.

Since pets' gastrointestinal tracts are sensitive, "dietary indiscretion" is "very common" after a holiday.

"Biggest thing we see is pancreatitis, which is a very serious medical disease. Majority of the time its due to food change," said Smith-Durham.

Other common illnesses she sees are GI inflammation, which she described it as almost a milder form of dietary indiscretion than pancreatitis; and intestinal obstruction caused from bones which is "corrected through surgery."

These illnesses, Smith-Durham said, are usually caused by "high fatty meals." So that means, "no bacon, no ham, no pork steak, no ribs -- stay away from all of that," she added. "Pork is one of the worst things you can give a dog."

The illnesses seem similar to food poisoning in humans. According to Smith-Durham, if a pet is experiencing GI upset, they show signs of lethargy, loss of appetite, they may vomit and have diarrhea, belch and they're "bellies will seem tense or tight." They also don't move around much because of "abdominal pain and discomfort."

"That's why it's always better to be safe than sorry and to have them treated," said Smith-Durham. Treatment may involve antibiotics, fluids, surgery and sometimes hospitalization.

People may not have the best diet during the holidays, but when it comes to our furry family members, "it's for their best interest to have a strict diet through the holidays."

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: