The Preventive Vet

Information and advice on pet safety and emergency prevention from an experienced emergency room veterinarian. I may not always tell you what you want to hear, but I will always tell you what you need to know. See the website for more information and advice (www.ThePreventiveVet.com), and don't forget to follow along on Facebook and Twitter too.

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Posts tagged "ribbon"

The 12 Pet Hazards of Christmas - Day 9: Wrapping bows and ribbons

Be aware…

Just like tinsel, the ribbons and bows that adorn wrapped gifts are often very enticing for cats. Something about them just seems to trigger a cat’s ‘inner hunter’. Sadly though, a common result of this ‘hunt’ is an intestinal obstruction that can sicken or kill your cat and requires expensive surgery to remove.

The long, strand-like nature of ribbons and bows makes them common linear foreign bodies in cats around this time of the year. Linear foreign bodies cause a particular type of digestive tract obstruction in pets that are curious, mischievous, and unfortunate enough to eat them. The details of linear foreign body obstruction were outlined in the post I wrote about tinsel on day 1 of this blog series, and you are referred to that post (click here) for the additional specifics that all pet owners should be aware of about this type of expensive and potentially fatal intestinal obstruction.