What could be a better surprise than a cuddly puppy sporting a
bright ribbon on
Christmas morning?

Certainly not the surprises that could follow, said Jim
Strickland, a veterinarian
with the University of Georgia Extension Service.

“People who get pets as surprise Christmas gifts generally have
some more
surprises coming,” Strickland said.

Puppies and kittens are cute and cuddly, he said. But they don’t
usually come
fully trained. They can leave some unpleasant “gifts” in
inappropriate places.

Depending on how well the giver knows the recipient, the pet
itself might even be
inappropriate. “Sometimes people end up with large or active
dogs and no place to
put them,” Strickland said.

If you find a cuddly surprise under your tree, he said, the
first thing you need to
do is provide a good place to keep it.

If it’s going to be an inside pet, he said, have a place where
you can begin
house-training it.

Another “first thing” is to feed your pet. Many stores sell a
variety of pet foods. A
rule of thumb Strickland uses is that “it takes an ounce of feed
a day for each
pound a dog weighs.” Cats require a little less than that.

Puppies and kittens need to be fed often, he said. “They
probably should be fed
three or four times a day at first,” he said. “If you don’t feed
them properly, they
have a greater tendency to be destructive around the house.”
Increase the time
between feedings as the pet gets older.

Once you settle on food and shelter, the next job is to get your
pet through the
holidays. “Dogs and cats can encounter more dangerous things at
Christmas than
are normally around them,” Strickland said.

Among the dangers:

Christmas decorations. “Dogs like to chew electrical cords,” he
said, “and may
even bite down on tree lights and glass ornaments. Keep those
out of reach of the
pets.”

Leftover turkey. “Too many leftovers and long, brittle
bones can choke or
penetrate the digestive tract of dogs or cats,” he said. “Table
scraps can cause
chronic digestive upset in dogs, too.”

Holiday candy. Chocolate, the biggest danger, has a
toxin related to
caffeine that can kill a dog or cat by overstimulating the
heart. Unsweetened
baking chocolate is especially deadly. Hard candies, too, can
easily choke dogs and
cats.

Seasonal plants. “Things like mistletoe, poinsettias and
Jerusalem cherry may be
toxic to dogs and cats,” he said.

“All this adds up to the fact that Christmas really isn’t a good
time to get a pet,”
he said.

But that’s when people like most to give them. And many breeders
and pet shops
gear up to meet the holiday demand. And pets do make fine
gifts.

“The best thing about owning a pet may be that special bond that
develops
between the animal and its owner,” Strickland said.

But be sure to get the pet’s medical records. Then take the pet
and its records to a
local vet as soon as you can — within a week, if possible.

Check with the vet to schedule vaccines, dewormings and flea and
tick control for
dogs and cats and heartworm prevention for dogs. “Go ahead and
set a timetable
to have it neutered, too,” Strickland said.