Chief and Eddie are part of the Balk family of Weatherford, Texas.

Pet Spotlight: NovemberHolidays potentially hazardous

to pets

Meet the vet of the monthDr. Mary Marczak, DVM5700 East HWY 377Granbury, TX 76049817-326-6262

Graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994.

Started LongCreek Animal Hospital in 2001 in Granbury, Texas.

Purchased All Creatures Animal Hospi-tal in 2006 in Granbury, Texas.

Hobbies: enjoys riding her motorcycle with her husband, Kenneth and their friends, and relaxing with her horses.

Thoughts: She wishes there were more

than 24 hours in a day to enjoy each ani-mal’s joyous and unselfish offerings.

By Autumn Daughetee

The holidays are right around the corner. However, in the midst of socializing, decorating and celebrating pet owners may forget about the many dangers the holidays hold for their pets. No one wants their pet to get ill or injured, so it is important to exercise caution around the following items dur-ing the holiday season.

Bones While it is the season of gener-osity, it is best to resist the urge to share some bones and scraps from the holiday table with dogs or cats. These small bones or bone chips can become lodged in the digestive tracts of pets and cause serious injury. Store-bought pet treats or home-made pet-safe recipes are a safer alterna-tive for treating your pet.

Aromatic oils Do you love the scent of pine trees, cinnamon or apples during the holi-day season. These familiar smells can in-stantly evoke the holiday spirit for many people. However, a number of synthetic smells and even natural extracts can be toxic to your pet. Only use nontoxic scents and be sure to keep everything out of reach of your cat or dog.

Sweet treats Don’t let your dog indulge in sweet holiday treats. While many people know that chocolate is dangerous for dogs, many people don’t know about the dangers of the artificial sweetener xylitol. Xylitol can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure in your dog. Chocolate can cause agitation, elevated heart rate, diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, and even death. Alcohol

Many of us enjoy a glass of eggnog or Holidays continued on Page 2

Volume 1/Issue 1 November 2014

Dogs are known for eating things when they are not supposed to. This is especially true of puppies. Also, dogs have an excellent sense of smell, making it fairly easy to find any secret hiding spots. This can be a dangerous combination when there is chocolate hidden around the house.

Chocolate is derived from the roasted seeds of Theobroma cacao, which contains certain properties that can be toxic to animals: caffeine and theobro-mine. If ingested, these two ingredients can also lead to various medical complica-tions and may even prove fatal for your dog.

Chocolate is a no-no for your pup

other alcoholic beverage during the holidays. Just be sure that your pets don’t share in the revelry. Alcohol can surpress your pet’s immune system or if too much is ingested your pet could suffer from alcohol poisoning.

Pine needles and trees It’s not Christmas for some pet owners without a live Christmas tree. What they don’t consider is just how dangerous pine needles can be to their pet. When ingested, pine needles can puncture the intestines of pets. In addi-tion, dogs and cats may be drawn to the fresh water reservoire of live trees. When grabbing a drink under the tree they can sometimes knock over the tree, poten-tially injuring themselves. To keep your pet safe, make sure all trees are stable and secure and pick up any fallen needles im-mediately.

Tinsel and decorationsCat lovers, skip the tinsel! It’s shiny sur-face and battable length say, “Play with me,” to your feline companion. However, this can be a deadly mistake. Tinsel can get partially caught in the cat’s stomach while the rest passes through the intes-tines causing severe damage. It can also wrap around your kitty’s tongue and cause choking. In addition, cats might attempt to play with glass ornaments which can break and cause lacerations. If you have a frisky feline around, skip the tinsel and opt for unbreakable ornaments.

Candles Some people love the scent and ambi-ance exuded by a lit candle. However, one swish of a paw or tail might be all it takes to start a fire. Never leave lit candles unattended. If you have a peppy pup or frisky feline, a safer alternative would be

to decorate with LED simulated candles instead.

Electrical cords Do you have a kitten, puppy or even an older pet that likes to chew? If so, make sure that all electrical cords are out of reach and secure. This simple precaution could save the life of your pet. Celebrate with all of your loved ones this holiday season –two legged and four–legged ones. A little extra caution can make sure that your pets stay safe throughout the season.

By Autumn Daughetee

1 egg• 1/4 cup peanut butter• 1/4 cup vegetable oil• 1 teaspoon vanilla• 1/3 cup honey• 1 cup shredded carrots• 1 cup whole wheat flour • (preferred) or white flour1 teaspoon baking soda• Extra peanut butter to top • pupcakesShredded carrots to top pupcakes • (optional) 6 small Milk Bone brand treats• 3 Beggin’ Strips•

Makes 6 pupcakes

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees farenheit. In a medium mixing bowl,

combine the egg, 1/4 cup peanut butter, vegetable oil, vanilla, and honey. Blend well.

Add shredded carrots and mix thoroughly. Sift flour and baking soda together and then carefully fold into batter.

Fill six lined cupcake molds 3/4 of the way full with the batter. Bake for 20 minutes (or 35-40 minutes if mak-ing one full cake) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the pup-cakes cool completely before frosting.

Once cooled, spread extrapeanut butter over the tops of the pupcakes and top with remaining shredded car-rot. Break a Beggin’ Strip in half and push one side firmly into the cake to keep in place. Add a Milk Bone treat in front of the strip. The pupcakes are ready to be served!

Spoil your canine companion with Pupcakes

The Lucy Fund, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that aids pet owners financially, through their local vet office, with the treatment of their pet when the cost becomes a burden on the pet owner. The Lucy Fund Newsletter is published by The Lucy Fund, Inc., www.thelucyfund.org. Volume 1, Issue 1.

Editor: Autumn Daughetee, autumn@thelucyfund.orgFounder: Katie Phillips

For more information on The Lucy Fund, please visit www.thelucyfund.org or email info@thelucyfund.org. If you would like to submit a pet recipe or story idea, please email autumn@thelucyfund.org.

HolidaysContinued from Page 1

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