Holiday traditions in California are as varied as the diverse communities and cultures that call the state home. Help your dog adjust to the season's foods and events with preparation and vigilance during the holidays. Here's what to do to keep your dog safe.

Prepare for Company
While you're fluffing up pillows and decorating for guests, set aside time to prepare your dog for the holidays, too. How does your dog respond to strangers at your door and inside your home? Is your dog aggressive or easily spooked into a trembling hot mess? 

When you understand how your dog responds to new people in the environment, you can plan for holiday changes that may be hard on your pet.

For example, in some communities, noisy parades may pass by your front door. If your dog spends the day outdoors in a fenced yard, barking, the parade is too much stimulation for your dog. Your frantic, woofing dog could end up being a huge annoyance to parade participants as well.

Bring your dog inside for the duration of the parade. Likewise, holiday processions including Los Posadas can be fun for some dogs and absolute terror for others. Candles held during the procession can drip hot wax on dogs running loose. Confine your dog when these events take place to keep everyone safe.

Christmas carolers routinely arrive at front doors in some neighborhoods. If your dog yaps and carries on during the carols, you can't enjoy the lovely songs. Have a crate or quiet room ready for your dog, so your pet can be secure while you greet your neighbors. Use this approach for timid or snappy dogs when you host parties.

Watch the Food Intake
Watch your calories and food choices carefully during the season of temptation. Monitor your dog's food intake even more diligently. Many food items served over the holiday season are toxic to pets. Guests may think they're being kind by offering your dog human treats that are actually deadly for dogs.

Kimchi, tamales, and turkey are OK in moderation, but too much of these can cause gastrointestinal upset in dogs. If you give your dog any meaty or fatty leftovers, remove all bones first. 

If your table displays include any of the following, keep your dog away from the table. Inform guests not to feed these foods to your dog:

Avoid feeding your dog candy canes, cookies, and other sweets. Sugary foods can cause stomach upset and aren't good for your dog's teeth. If you have alcohol of any type at your gatherings, keep the beverages away from any pooches in attendance.
Invite only friends and family who are responsible with their cannabis or other prescription medications, or put your dog away when guests arrive. Some medicines can be harmful or fatal to dogs. 

Secure the Halls
When you deck the halls, secure the decor. Glittery items like tinsel can be harmful to dogs. Younger dogs sometimes can't resist gnawing on anything new and sparkly in their environment. Consider decorating your tree with dog-friendly stuffed ornaments, or put the tree, string-light wiring, and garland well out of reach.

In addition, anchor the tree securely to the wall to avoid tip-overs. Don’t add any toxic ingredients to the water in a cut tree, and block your dog from accessing the tree-water reservoir. Also, for the sake of your dog, keep toxic mistletoe out of the house. Other plants you shouldn't mix with pets include:

Common patio and houseplants including Cyclamen, Kalanchoe and Dieffenbachia should also be kept from pets, as all three can cause severe reactions in dogs.

Place the contact information for Escalon Small Animal Clinic in a prominent location while you're preparing for the holidays. We offer all-inclusive pet wellness services and daytime emergency care in case your dog has any holiday mishaps.

It's a common myth to believe that dog parasites are only a problem in the warmer months of summer. Unfortunately for dogs and their human caregivers, no season is off limits for pet parasites. Monitor your dog's health and schedule routine veterinary checkups to avoid infestations of heartworms, fleas and other canine parasites.

There are three parasites that affect dogs all year round in warmer climates. Important facts about these three pests are listed below to help you prevent and avoid problems with your favorite pup.

Giardia is a one-celled organism found in the guts of animals and humans. It can be carried by feces into bodies of water including puddles, streams and ponds. Many human hikers are sickened by the human-seeking species of Giardia after drinking untreated water along backcountry trails. Humans infected with the parasite often suffer stomach cramps and diarrhea. 

When a human or dog is infected with Giardia, the disease is called giardiasis. Dogs, like humans, will exhibit loose stools, diarrhea and weight loss. However, many dogs who have the bacteria present in their stomachs never show any signs of infection. They may continue to eat heartily and have high energy levels.

If left untreated long term, the dog’s health will slowly decline. The dog may display lethargy, refuse to eat and become seriously ill. The only way for your dog's vet to diagnose and treat giardiasis in your dog is by taking a stool sample and checking for the presence of the bacteria. The vet will prescribe antibiotics and other medications to treat the infection.

To protect dogs from giardiasis, experts recommend that you keep dogs away from water as much as possible while out and about. Wipe your dog's paws after your pet splashes in puddles or lakes. Carry fresh water and a dog bowl with you when you travel so your dog is less likely to lap up contaminated water.

Sneaky, itch-causing ticks are enjoying a population explosion all over the country. Milder winters offer the teeny arachnids more time to breed. Increasing numbers of white-tailed deer — common hosts for ticks — provide more warm-blooded bodies for tick fuel. Encroachment and development into forested and rural areas increase human and pet encounters with ticks.

Ticks carry a wide spectrum of diseases that affect both canines and humans. To manage ticks and your dog, learn about the types of ticks in your area. Perform routine checkups on your dog and yourself after every outing. 

Keep your yard cleaned up to lessen the likelihood of ticks on your property. Ticks like to hang out in leaf litter, leggy weeds and tall grass. Some ticks drop from branches onto people and pets, so trim leafy limbs above walkways and sitting areas. 

Ticks should be removed immediately from your dog to reduce the chances of a tick-borne disease or infection developing. Ask the vet how best to remove ticks from your dog. Purchase a tick removal tool to make the job easier if you have a great number of ticks in your area.

You may have heard the expression, "mangy dog" used to describe an animal that looks rough and dirty. Mange is an actual disease that occurs when microscopic mites dig under your dog’s skin or attach themselves to your canine's hair follicles.

Mange can infect one localized spot on the body or it can occur all over a dog's coat. Symptoms include hair loss, a greasy feel to the coat and red, inflamed skin. Rashes and constant scratching are signs of mange, too.

Your vet can treat the mange with creams, shampoos and antibiotics. It's important to treat your dog quickly because mange is contagious and will spread to other dogs in the family. Sarcoptic mange — or scabies — can develop in humans from contact with dog mange, but this is a relatively uncommon occurrence.

Call Escalon Small Animal Clinic today to schedule a complete exam and treatment of your dog's persistent parasites, rough coat and itchy skin issues.

Dogs enjoy summer as much as humans do since there's so much to see and do outside. But dogs may suffer unnecessarily when their basic needs aren't met during the hottest months. Help your dog have a safe and happy summer by providing the three basic needs that follow.

Your dog needs plenty of water and shade during the summer months. This is especially true if your dog is older or has a very thick coat. Whenever possible, provide an air-conditioned space for your dog during the hottest parts of the day. If your dog spends the hot summer days outdoors, make sure that your pet has a dedicated soft spot under shade for cooling down as needed.

Never, ever leave your dog unattended in a hot car. In many areas, you could be subject to criminal charges, and you will lose your dog. Even worse, your dog could suffer permanent damage or death from the heat that builds up inside a car.

Make sure your dog has ready access to water throughout the day. Clean out the dog's inside and outside water bowls at least once a week to keep germs, insects and dirt from building up on the water bowl and fouling the water. 

Always carry extra water and portable water bowls with you wherever you go with your pet. Pay attention if your dog begins lagging behind, panting or showing any other signs of overheating on a hike or walk. Have your dog seen by the veterinarian immediately when overheating occurs.