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Matricalm for Pets – Stress and Anxiety Support
USD $44.95
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Stress and Pet Safety during Thanksgiving

Pet Care Tips 3 min read
A small dog in a basket.

We all know that holiday seasons can get hectic with parties, family gatherings, and events happening more often than usual! While it is wonderful to have time to spend with our loved ones, we can’t forget to pet safety during thanksgiving as well. During Thanksgiving festivities, it is important to consider how we can keep our pets calm and safe so that hopefully, we can get a chance to relax ourselves!

Calm Environments for Pet Safety during Thanksgiving

Many pets are sensitive to changes in their routines and environment. A sudden influx of strangers and guests in the house along with a flurry of activity can make any pet run for cover! The best thing to do is give them a nice area where they can escape from all the overstimulating noises and smells of a Thanksgiving get-together. A spare bedroom, bathroom, or kennel away from the excitement can serve as a relaxing space for them.

Some things that you can include in these spaces are:

  • Food, water, litterbox
  • Their bed, kennel, or lots of soft blankets
  • Low lighting
  • Enrichment including scratching posts, puzzle toys, chew toys, hidden treats, etc.
  • Soothing sounds such as comforting music made for pets or a white noise machine
  • Relaxing scents (only use products made and approved for pets, of course!)
  • Plenty of potty breaks and visits

Foods to Avoid During Thanksgiving

To keep your pet safe from, ensure that food is kept covered and inaccessible for your little one. And if you have a furkiddo who likes to get into the garbage, make sure the scraps from dinner are promptly taken out! There are many ingredients featured in a Thanksgiving dinner that can cause bad reactions in dogs and cats.

Examples of these are:

  • Garlic, Onion, and Chives: From the Allium plant family, a common cause of canine poisonings.

  • Turkey Bones: Even if cooked, these bones can splinter into fragments and cause damage to the esophagus, stomach, or intestines. These types of internal injuries can become quite serious.

  • Nuts: The high levels of oils and fats in different types of nuts may not be tolerated by pets. Macadamia nuts, in particular, can cause very uncomfortable symptoms like vomiting and tremors.

  • Chocolate: Contains methylxanthines, substances that can lead to toxicosis for pets.

  • Milk or Dairy-Based Products: Lactose must be broken down by enzymes called lactase, and our pets do not produce enough of this protein to properly digest dairy products.

  • Alcohol: Alcohol cannot be metabolized by dogs or cats, leading to poisoning with relatively small amounts. If a pet ingests any amount of alcohol, please contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center for immediate assistance.

Pet-Friendly Thanksgiving Treats

While we are keeping our pets away from the festive family meal, there are still plenty of safe treats they can be given to be included in the Thanksgiving tradition! A few seasonal vegetables that are safe for pets to eat (and also quite tasty) include pumpkin, sweet potato, and carrot – so long as they are fully cooked and have been prepared without seasoning, salt, butter, or oils. Your pet will love it just plain!

Additionally, check out some of our easy, homemade recipes for treats such as our No-Bake Pumpkin Dog Treat, Turkey Patties and Pumpkin Pie Tarts, or our Sweet Potato Mash!

NHV Supplements to Ease Holiday Stress

One final way to reduce stress levels and keep pets calm is to use our supplements. For example, you may use Lesstress for a dog or Matricalm for a cat. Both of these formulas contain chamomile, passion flower, and lemon balm – ingredients that may help with relaxation and reduce anxiety and excitability.

Both of these formulas contain chamomile, passion flower, and lemon balm

Additionally, Lesstress contains Eleuthro which may improve resistance to stress, as well as Reishi mushroom and Echinacea Angustifolia for immune support. Meanwhile, Matricalm contains Valerian root and Hops to help the immune system and improve sleep quality.

Remember: it can take time for our pets’ systems to adjust and respond to the herbs. Therefore, it may be helpful to start giving the supplement a couple of weeks before the Thanksgiving festivities. Sometimes, it can take a few weeks of consistent use before we start to see the herbal benefits.

We hope these products will help reduce stress for both you and your furbabies, allowing you to
fully enjoy the holiday! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Pet
Expert team.

Sarah Burr, BSc

Sarah Burr, BSc

Sarah graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BSc. in Applied Animal Biology, and has experience working with a variety of pets in animal shelters and veterinary hospitals. She has received a certificate in animal welfare, and her topics of interest have also included animal behavior and physiology.

Published: November 22, 2024

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