| STAY SMART |
A Pet-Friendly Holiday Season
With the holiday season rapidly approaching, you’ll soon be decking the halls and filling your home with seasonal goodies. And while the humans who enter your house will be thrilled and filled with holiday cheer, your mature pet could get into trouble when suddenly surrounded by the sparkly and sweet-smelling decorations and treats. So this year, consider ways to make your holiday decorating scheme more pet-friendly. Here are some tips.
• Pesky Plants – From trees to poinsettias, pay close attention to any plants you use indoors during the holidays. Your pet can get quite ill from eating seasonal plants such as poinsettias and mistletoe. Also, if you have a tree in your house, be sure to keep your pet out of the water in its base. Provide plenty of fresh drinking water for her elsewhere in the house and, if necessary, find a tree stand with a covered base. |
• Candle Fire Hazard – A curious cat or canine combined with candles can quickly create a hot situation. As much as possible, keep lit candles – and recently extinguished ones filled with hot wax – out of your pet's reach. Consider electric or battery-operated bulbs to illuminate your home throughout the season. |
• Extra Edibles – Your pet's first instinct when surrounded by new objects may be to try them out for taste. Remember, many holiday items pose a threat to your pet – from ribbons and ornament hooks to holiday goodies. Keep the lowest branches of a tree free of ornaments so there’s less risk of her batting and breaking them. Keep electrical cords for holiday lights out of reach. Keep an eye on ribbons, and keep holiday treats in sealed containers. |
• ID Me - Make sure your pet has a collar with current ID tags. If she escapes, this will make it easier for someone to return her to you. |
In general, pay extra attention to your pet during the holiday season. Your love and a watchful eye are the best presents you can give her. |
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| LIVE WELL |
A Fighting Chance for a Long, Healthy Life
Antioxidants are one of today’s hottest buzzwords. They’re in everything from the tea we drink to lotions and other potions. But did you know antioxidants are important to your mature pet’s health, too? So important, in fact, that every dry food in the Hill’s® Science Diet® and Hill’s® Prescription Diet® line contains a clinically proven blend of antioxidants to help keep your pet healthy and happy during her long life.
Antioxidants fight free radicals – molecular agents that contribute to the effects of aging by causing cellular breakdown or oxidation. Your mature pet is exposed to free radicals in the environment on a daily basis. But antioxidants help her fight their effects. Hill’s® pet foods are formulated with Vitamins E and C, as well as Beta Carotene and Selenium to help defend your pet's cells against oxidation and give her immune system added protection. It’s one more way that Hill’s helps pets live long, happy lives.
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| ASK A VET |
Q: I want to share a special holiday treat with my mature pet. What treats are OK for him?
A: You may feel tempted to treat your pet with a taste of turkey or other holiday delicacies, but remember that human food treats can upset his system. But if you want to treat your pets, consider hand-feeding a few kibbles of their dry food or giving him a small spoonful of the canned version of his food. Or, make your own homemade treats for your dog or for your cat with this recipe from Hill’s. |
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