5 ways to celebrate with the holidays and keep your family pet safe

NAPSI - Most pet parents agree: their animals are part of what makes the holiday season so magical. While it’s an excellent opportunity to integrate furry family members into all the special holiday traditions and make memories together, there are a few things you should keep in mind to keep your pet safe and healthy throughout the festivities: 

• Opt for pet-friendly decorations: Many favorite holiday decorations need to be kept out of pets’ reach. Mistletoe, pine needles, ivy garland, holly, lilies and poinsettias can be toxic to pets when consumed. This is why I recommend artificial Christmas trees to those with particularly curious pets that like to chew on plants. If you don’t choose an artificial tree, it’s important to note that some water additives for real trees can be toxic, so you should make sure your pet can’t access this water source. When decorating your tree, it’s best to avoid tinsel and breakable ornaments to prevent potential hazards, and you should always secure your tree to prevent a climbing cat from tipping it over.

• Keep pets warm and dry: As the weather gets colder, pets may need a few extra layers to stay comfortable and safe while outdoors. Booties can help prevent a pup’s paws from getting ice in them and offer protection from salt-treated walkways. At home, use pet-safe ice melt rather than salt, which can be irritating to pets’ paws, mouths and stomachs. You can keep them feeling warm and looking stylish on winter adventures with sweaters and jackets such as the Reddy Black Puffer and the Reddy Colorblock Dog Sweater. A cozy handwarmer lead will help keep you warm as well while you’re out and about. When you return home, always dry off their coats and paws to remove debris and ice clumps in fur and between paw pads.

• Choose and wrap gifts wisely: If you’re one of the nearly 80% of pet parents who, according to the 2022 Petco consumer survey of 1,000 U.S. dog and cat parents, plan to include pets in holiday gifting, make sure pets only have access to and open presents while supervised so they don’t ingest any paper or tape. I recommend sticking to wrapping paper for pet gifts, as ribbons, bows and accessories can be dangerous when ingested. Whether you’re buying advent calendars, apparel or toys for your pet, Petco’s holiday stockings offer an easy and pet-safe “wrapping” option that you can use year after year. 

Photo by Erik Mclean/Unsplash

• Be aware of toxic holiday foods: Common holiday foods such as chocolate, turkey skin and bones, ham, grapes and raisins, garlic, caffeine, alcohol, onions, certain spices and sweets, especially any containing xylitol, should be avoided. For festive pet-safe foods, Petco has a variety of sweet and savory dog treats just for the holidays. If you think your pet has accidentally ingested a toxic food or other material, contact your veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline immediately. 

• Prioritize pet health and wellness: Involving pets in holiday traditions can mean taking them along for a road trip, introducing them to new people or staying in unfamiliar environments—all things that can cause anxiety in pets. It’s important to keep your pet’s mental health top of mind during the holiday season and year-round. When possible, pets should be introduced to new people and pets in a neutral environment, individually and at their own pace. For pets that experience anxiety in the car, practicing with short drives or sitting in the car while parked, followed by treats and positive reinforcement, can help the adjustment and prepare them for a long ride. Calming products can help mitigate anxiety in pets, and you can also consult your veterinarian for anxiety or motion sickness treatments to help make travel easier. Training in advance of any holiday plans is also a good idea, and Petco offers both in-person and online training options at stores.petco.com/training.

For additional tips on how to safely celebrate the holidays with your pets, visit petco.com/holiday and a Petco pet care center.

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Dr. Miller is the chief veterinarian at Petco, The Health + Wellness Co. and member of the Petco Pet Wellness Council. She received her DVM and MBA degrees from Colorado State University and has been board certified in Preventive Medicine since 2018.

Older Dodge & Chrysler need Takata air bags replaced ASAP

NAPSI - As you prepare for the busy holiday travel season, you should be aware of an urgent stop-drive warning issued to owners and custodians of certain older model Dodge and Chrysler vehicles who have not replaced their recalled driver-side Takata air bags.

Approximately 276,000 2005-2010 Dodge Magnum station wagons, Dodge Challenger coupes, Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans fall under this warning. FCA US LLC has distributed notices to owners and custodians of these vehicles to immediately stop driving them.

If you are unsure if your vehicle falls under this recall, you can check by visiting www.mopar.com/recalls, www.checktoprotect.org or www.nhtsa.gov/recalls and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The 17-character VIN is usually located on the driver’s side dashboard near the windshield and is also often on insurance and registration documents. 

If your vehicle is affected by this stop-drive order, you should call 833-585-0144 to discuss the best options for your free repair. FCA US LLC will help arrange for your car to be transported to your authorized dealership or schedule a mobile repair unit to come to your home to replace the recalled air bag. Air bag recall repairs can take as little as one hour and dealers make the process as easy as possible for drivers.

This issue requires immediate attention because the longer these particular vehicles remain unrepaired, the greater the risk of an air bag rupture which can cause serious injury or death in the event of a crash where the air bag deploys. 

Keep yourself and your family safe this holiday season and check your vehicle for recalls.

Coping with grief during the holiday season with loved ones, here's how

Photo: The Good Funeral Guide/Unsplash

by Tim Ditman
OSF Healthcare

URBANA - During the holidays, societal norms expect us to be sociable and cheerful. But it can be difficult for people dealing with the loss of a loved one. A normal shopping trip may turn blue when you hear the song you used to dance to. Or the Christmas tradition of baking cookies just seems empty without your friend there.

There’s no “one size fits all” approach to coping with loss during this time of year, says Rita Manning, a pastoral care professional and bereavement coordinator for OSF Hospice. But among the long list of coping suggestions, one may help the most: know your physical and mental limits in holiday social situations and set expectations accordingly.

I’m not up to that today, but please don’t stop calling and checking in on me.

“People need to know it’s OK if they leave for a moment to see if they can get themselves collected,” Manning says. “If not, say ‘I’m going to bid my farewells and go home.’”

For some, that may mean you won’t be the life of the party this holiday season. You’re balancing a desire to be present but also take care of yourself. Set that expectation for you and the people around you.

A useful script from Manning, for example, when someone invites you to lunch: “I’m not up to that today, but please don’t stop calling and checking in on me.”

Other ways to help manage loss for yourself and others around the holidays:

• Give yourself permission to grieve. Manning says we live in a “get over it” society, but it’s never that easy.

“Death does not kill the love you have for the departed person,” Manning says. “That’s the struggle, the process we’re in. Learning to live with this loss. That doesn’t happen overnight.”

That grace should come from the grieving person’s friends and family, too. Manning says if someone says, “I don’t think I can make it through Christmas without her!” or tells a story of the departed loved one for the 10^th time, don’t roll your eyes or tell them to change the subject. Instead, listen and support them.

• Don’t be afraid to bring up the lost loved one.

              “If we don’t talk about it, it’s like the elephant in the room,” Manning says. “Often, grieving people like to hear stories and memories. It helps to know you had that relationship and you’re missing them too.”

• Watch out for this cliché phrase: “How are you doing?”

Manning says the bereaved person often just says “Fine” instead of pouring out the real answer.

Instead, try this: “How is your day treating you?”

• Manning says it’s not unheard of to be firm in your support. For example, tell the person, “I’m bringing you dinner tonight.” or “I’m shoveling your driveway.”

               “The bereaved are going to be in a fog for a while and not know exactly what they need,” Manning points out.

•  Adult children should avoid telling a surviving parent to stay busy all the time and not think about the lost loved one.

“Balance their time,” instead, Manning says. “Find time to have those moments of grief but also time to be busy.”

Loved ones should keep an eye on the grieving person for signs of a bigger issue

If your grief reaches a crisis (for example, you have specific plans for self-harm), seek help right away. Talk to a trusted friend or family member, call the 9-8-8 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call your primary care provider. Your provider can link you with grief counseling resources and diagnose any physical ailments that may be contributing to the situation.

Loved ones should keep an eye on the grieving person for signs of a bigger issue. Someone may start eating or sleeping too much or too little. Also, watch for changes in their appearance. If someone is known for festive holiday outfits and suddenly is in sweatpants and a T-shirt every day, it’s time for a talk.