This just in: Don’t let your pet get drunk

Shockingly enough, some people do this! And I’m going to go out on a limb and say they are either A) uninformed, B) horrifically mean or C) unaware their little friend is sneaking the schnapps.

Alcohol, especially champagne, seems to flow more freely this time of year. We pet owners have to make sure our pets aren’t getting into the bubbly.

As horrible as this sounds, I have a friend whose dog accidentally got drunk once. A mixed punch was leaking out of a cooler, and the solution was to put a bowl under the leak. The problem: his dog lapped up the sweet stuff. She was a tiny mixed breed – maybe 15 pounds or so – and just a few drops made her stagger. She was terribly ill, and my friend felt terribly guilty.

He was lucky. All that happened to his dog was some staggering and vomiting. Depending on the size of pet and amount of consumption, alcohol can cause tremors, a coma or even death, according to the ASPCA Poison Control Center.

To put it in better perspective, alcohol is listed in the “high toxicity” list with chocolate and antifreeze.

So, regardless of how you choose to celebrate New Year’s Eve and other holidays, make sure your pets only celebrate with treats and toys – not booze.

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

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