You’ve cooked up your appetizers, invited your friends over and are ready to cheer on the Cincinnati Bengals for Super Bowl Sunday. Whether you’re cheering on the Bengals or just watching the commercials or the halftime show, remember to be considerate of your pets. Loud parties, as well as special foods and drinks, can be overwhelming or harmful to your furry friends.
Before your friends come over, follow these tips to keep your pets safe for Super Bowl Sunday.
Keep Them Separated
Pets like to have a safe haven to go to when the noise becomes too much. Before your event, create a quiet area for your pets that will help keep them calm. If your pets look stressed, call a timeout and give them a quiet option to regroup away from the crowd. Make sure the room has everything they will need including food, water, bedding and your pet’s favorite toys. Turn on some calming music or the television to help your pets tune out some of the loud noises from your party.
Watch the Beverages
Flag on the play! Keep those caffeinated and alcoholic drinks away from your pets. Caffeinated drinks such as cola can cause issues for your pet. This can include restlessness, muscle tremors, breathing issues, and heart palpitations. In addition, avoid letting your pets consume any sort of alcohol. Beer, liquor and wine can have damaging effects on your pet’s liver and brain. In fact, just two teaspoons of whiskey can cause a 5-pound cat to go into a coma. Just one additional teaspoon could be deadly for your cat.
Skip the Guac
If you are dipping your chips in the green stuff this Super Bowl, make sure not to fumble because we don’t want your pets to intercept when it comes to chowing down on some guacamole! Yes, guacamole and tortilla chips are a staple at many Super Bowl parties. Even though you and your guests can enjoy this delicious snack, there are three things in guacamole that can be very harmful to your pets – avocados, garlic and onions. Garlic and onions can damage your pet’s red blood cells and cause gastrointestinal irritation. The leaves, fruit and seeds of avocados contain Persin, which can cause your pets to have severe diarrhea or vomiting. It can make breathing difficult and fluid can collect around their heart if consumed.
Say No to Chicken Wings
Resist those puppy dog eyes and stay focused on the game! No matter how much your pets beg to have some scraps of your chicken wings, don’t give in. Smaller bones found in chicken, as well as other birds, can easily be consumed by your pet. This can lead to possible choking hazards. If a bone splinters or splits, this can also cause tearing in your pet’s gastrointestinal tract. In addition to these risks, the increase in salt can also be damaging to your pet. Signs your pet has consumed too much salt include diarrhea, vomiting, tremors and elevated body temperature or seizures.
ID Your Pets
Let everyone know what team your pet is on! No, they don’t need to wear a jersey, but they do need to have on their tags, collar and identification prior to your party starting. With more people coming and going from your home, it is easier for your pet to slip out the door. In addition, it is important to get your pets microchipped. For just $20, you can bring your pet to the Humane Society of Greater Dayton and we will microchip your pets for you. No appointments are needed and the whole process takes less than 10 minutes to do.
Stick to the Norm
Whether it is Super Bowl Sunday or a regular Tuesday, it is best to keep your pets on a normal schedule. Even when there are disruptions to the normal routine, you can still add consistency in other ways. Despite all your pre-game planning, make sure to allow time to take your dog on a nice long walk before the party starts. This will help them burn off a little energy. Also, make sure to feed your pets their normal food and don’t overdo it on the treats. This will keep their digestive systems in order. If a pet is showing signs of stress during the night, put yourself in their shoes and remove them to an area that calms them and allows them to regain some of that normalcy. With just these quick tricks, you will earn a few extra points with your pet and end the night winning big!
