god u supes x text posts

* au where Jackson!Ellie is bffs with reader. NO SMUT IN THIS because they’re both 17. Just pure fluff and some tension. Give me requests for any other fic (smut or not smut) and I’ll def write it!!! This is my first time posting on tumblr (aside from ao3 so idrk how the app works but pls bare w me.) *

*also this is lowkey inspired by an experience I had with an old friend/situationship…☺️☺️enjoy bbs*

Falls in Jackson were serene. Having the sound of crickets and the lights of the town lull you to sleep only to be woken up by families of birds singing was something you could never get tired of. On top of that, your best friend, Ellie’s birthday lies right in the middle of all of this. This year she was turning 17, and you knew you had to get her something special since this was technically her last year as a kid.

You and Ellie met when you both were 14. Ellie and Joel went out on patrol together, where they found you and your older brother, Carl separated from your group on the roads—trying to find a place to stay temporarily before your group finds you guys again.

One week turned into two, then into a month, and eventually… you and Carl had given up on any hopes of your group finding you again, so Jackson eventually became a new home for you.

Ellie didn’t like you at first sight. She thought you were too quiet, as you kept your distance from the people in Jackson. But once you realized that you’d have to accept this place, you also accepted the people that came along with it, including Ellie, eventually.

You couldn’t recall exactly when or how you and Ellie became so close, but soon enough the two of you were inseparable. You grew out of your shyness with the help of Ellie, and you felt more comfortable with the girl.

Even though you were only a few months younger than her, you still looked up to her as if she was some sort of god. Everything she did, or taught you, you kept memorized in the back of your head, even years later. The fact that a girl as cool as her tried so hard to be friends with you, and refused to give up until you opened up to her, absolutely baffled you.

You’d both always talk about your 17th birthdays, anticipating it.

“Y’know, like before the world went to shit—17 was the last year of being a kid. Like when you turn 18 everything changes apparently.” You said to her on your 16th birthday, laying on your back next to the auburn haired girl in her bed.

Ellie was mirroring your position, laying next to you also on her back. She turned to face you, “ ‘S only a year away…” She trailed off. You saw her smile wide out of your peripheral vision, and you also turned to face her. Her smile was contagious, it could brighten the whole damn town of Jackson. You smiled back at her trying to hold her eye contact, but you turned to lay on your back again. You could never hold eye contact with the girl without getting nervous. You never understood why.

“Yeah. Yours too Ellie.” You said looking up at the wall.

Ellie sat up fast, causing you to do the same. “What about…” She trailed off in thought, playing with the sleeves of her grey hoodie. “We celebrate our 17s in a special way. Like we always celebrate our birthdays by watching a movie at my place— which is totally cool. But like, let’s surprise each other or something. I’ll plan something for you and you’ll plan something for me?” She looked up at you, both sides of her lips pulling upwards.

You held out your pinky, “Deal.” You looked at her with a wide smile, because who couldn’t smile at having a best friend as great as Ellie.

She intertwined her pinky with yours and nodded. “Deal.”

So you found yourself here, about a year later for Ellie’s 17th pacing around your room wondering if this is a good idea. You wanted to sneak her out to show her the stars tonight. You stole a telescope that you found one day at patrol which reminded you of Ellie. She always talked about space and planets and stars with you. And to be honest, you weren’t even so interested in that… you just loved watching Ellie talk about the things she liked with you.

You we’re worried about getting caught trying to leave the gates. Maria told you only bad things happen to kids who sneak out, and you didn’t know if it was true or if she was just trying to scare you out of doing it.

I mean, your brother Carl did it once. He said there’s basically no more infected out there. But you’re still preparing yourself for anything tonight. You put on a green sweater over your tank top and grabbed a pocket knife and a pistol and stashed that in the back pocket of your black jeans. You slipped on your boots and decided to sneak out the window, since you didn’t want Carl to be woken up by the squeaking of your old front door.

You jumped a few feet down and started walking across the street to get to Ellies house.

Even though it was midnight, the air was still warm. Lights in the town were still on and there were leaves everywhere, making you have to watch your step.

Five minutes later you stopped yourself in front of Ellie’s house. There was no doubt that the people in Jackson gave her and Joel the best house. Even though it was old and somewhat rusty, it was big and even had its own shed and an area where you could grow your own garden. You always told Ellie that she should take advantage of that garden and use it as something, but she never did.

You nervously ran your hands in your hair, knowing that if you got caught you’d never hear the end of it from Joel, who was the one that made you promise to keep Ellie safe once you guys became best friends.

You crept around the house and used the tree that was right next to Ellie’s window to prop yourself up and in front of her window. You lifted the large piece of glass easily. I know we could trust people in Jackson but this girl has to start locking her windows just in case. I mean, seriously, you thought to yourself as you quietly jumped from her window to the floor of her room.

You quietly crept so that you were towering over her sleeping. You took your time looking at her. You felt a little guilty waking her up in this state. She looked so peaceful while sleeping. The usual furrow in her brow was non existent and for the first time in a very long time, she looked completely at ease.

You never felt jealous, really, about how pretty Ellie is. You always just kind of admired it. How someone as beautiful as her tried so hard to get you to like her. You felt as if your beauty was incomparable to hers. She had a constellation of freckles across her face and the most perfect nose and vibrant green eyes you’ve ever seen on anyone, and while you never thought you were ugly, you just felt like you looked to basic next to her. You’d never tell Ellie that you thought she was pretty even though you meant to, she just made you too nervous to tell her. And you also didn’t know why.

You quickly put that thought away, though, and put your hand quickly over her mouth.

“Don’t scream.” You whispered to her as she opened her eyes.

She didn’t even hesitate to throw you off of her, grabbing her pocket knife out from under her pillow and tackling you to the ground while letting out a high pitched shriek.

“Shh!!! Ellie it’s me stop—stop.” You put your hands up in the air defensively while she was on top of you holding the pocket knife to your throat.

Her look of concern turned to a half-smile as she put the knife down and got off of you to stand up.

“Dude. I told you to stop trying to scare me every time you sneak in.” She rubbed her eyes. “A simple tap on the shoulder to wake me up would be fine.” She sarcastically smiled at you, making you chuckle back at her.

“But what’s the fun in that?” You asked as you stood up to sit yourself at the edge of her bed.

“Ok so…why the fuck are you here?? At 12:30 in the morning? You know you have patrol tomorrow.” Ellie said, looking up at you from the ground.

“Well first of all, happy birthday! And second of all, I have a surprise for you.” You looked back at her, standing up and offering your hand to help her up.

“What are you gonna kidnap me?” Ellie laughed as she used you to help herself up.

“No…” you trailed off. Why do you feel so nervous all of a sudden? “I was thinking…” you looked down and played with your hands, nervous habit. God get yourself together y/n, you mentally cursed at yourself. “We sneak out and I show you something interesting.” You stopped playing with your hands to look back at her. You felt as if her gaze was burning into your skin. You hated how she had this insane sort of power over you, making you melt with only one look.

“Like though the gates?” She questioned.

“Well duh.” You whispered which a slight laugh.

“Okay but, if we get in trouble this is all on you y/n” Ellie grabbed your arm to lead you out of her room while she used her other free hand to grab her shoes.

————————————————————————

* an hour time jump*

“So are you gonna show me something cool or are we just gonna keep walking?” She joked, making her steps sound way heavier than they should.

“It’s right here.” You said, pointing at the old building in front of you.

“Absolutely not. No fuckin’ way I’m going in there.” She turned around but you quickly grabbed her by her waist to turn her around and to look at her. Was she blushing? No, she wouldn’t be.

“Just trust me, okay?” You reassured her as you ran up to the door of the building and pushed it open.

You grabbed her arm and had her run after you up the stairs. “Okay. Close your eyes Ellie.”

She shut her eyes but you also put your hands over her eyes to make sure she wasn’t peeping. Both of you were in front of a door that led to the roof of the building, where you set the telescope you found on patrol.

You led her out onto the roof with your hands still over her eyes. The view was insane. Stars were everywhere and run-down buildings were seen for miles on end. You were surprised how you didn’t find this place any sooner.

Okay…open” you moved your hands off her face in anticipation. You really hoped she’d like this.

“Holy shit…” she said quietly, almost to herself, as she walked around the rooftop.

“How did you find this place?” She said, with the largest smile you’ve ever seen.

“That’s not even the best part…” you said, nudging your head towards the telescope.

“WHAT THE FUCK. Where did you find this??” Ellie exclaimed, running up to the telescope and toying around with it.

“Don’t worry about that. Just enjoy it.” You smiled at her eagerness.

She looked through the telescope as you walked up next to her, looking at the sky through your naked eye. “This is crazy. Look.” She said, stepping back.

You looked through the lens of the telescope, “Is that Jupiter?”

“No, Mars, I think.” She admired the way you tucked your hair behind your ears, and the way your tongue peeked out of your mouth in concentration.

After a while of taking turns on the telescope, both of you ended up laying on your backs, watching the stars.

“That one kind of looks like a bunny.” Ellie pointed up at the constellation.

“Really? I think it looks more like a fish.” You laughed quietly.

But instead of a usual jokingly snarky remark from the auburn haired girl, there was just silence.

It stayed that way for a couple minutes, to the point where you thought she might have called asleep, so you turned to see her face. Still awake.

“Do you think—if the world never ended like this— that we’d still be friends.” Ellie asked, almost in a whisper.

You sat up. “I dunno. Why?”

“Just wondering.” She also sat up.

Both of you stared at each other for a while, you broke the contact first though.

Ellie could’ve sworn, in that moment, that you didn’t even look human. The moonlight casted a glow on your skin and hair, which was perfectly tucked behind your ears, putting all your features on display.

“You’re really pretty y/n, y’know?” Ellie tried to look at your face, but you wouldn’t look at her.

“Sure.” You let out a quiet laugh that almost came out as a scoff.

“I’m serious!” She raised her voice, “I just don’t think you realize it.”

“What’re you doing?” You looked at her, trying to understand where she was getting at here. Was she flirting? Or was she just being nice?”

“Prettiest thing I’ve ever seen…” she looked down at her hands.

You smiled at her nervousness. There was no way she wasn’t flirting with you right now. She’d always hint things like this to you, but never like this.

You don’t know what took over you in that moment, but you reached out your hands to cup her face, closing the gap between your lips with a soft kiss. There was nothing intense about it. It was slow and soft. Her hands went to grab your waist to pull you closer.

She said your name in a whisper as your hands went from her face to her waist as well. Roaming up and down her torso to pull her even closer, if that’s possible.

She broke the kiss first and just looked at you. You couldn’t tell if she was scared or nervous until that all-too familiar smile broke out.

She brought her hands to touch her lips. “What now?” She asked.

“We’ll figure it out.” You grabbed her hand and held it in your own.

————————————————————————

The Chase Files Daily Newscap 10/21/2019

Good Morning #realdreamchasers. Here is your daily news cap for Monday, October 21st, 2019. There is a lot to read and digest so take your time. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS), Barbados Today (BT), or by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

BUT CHIDS GOVERNMENT – THE BARBADOS UNION OF TEACHERS (BUT) is dissatisfied with what it says is Government’s lack of response to the viral outbreaks affecting teachers and students across the island. Following a service at the Ann Gill Memorial Methodist Church yesterday to mark the start of Teachers Week, BUT president Sean Spencer said he was not seeing the desired level of communication or cooperation.“The issue is, we’re not hearing from either ministry (Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health) about best practices in this situation. You’d think they’d be working together,” he said. (DN)

ON BOARD – Many commuters are hopping on board the plan to place GPS devices on public service vehicles (PSVs). In both the Constitution River and Cheapside terminals yesterday, passengers spoke about the rowdy behaviour on some PSVs and welcomed the news that some form of monitoring system was in the works. “That sounds like something which will bring some discipline which is much needed. Maybe they should also include something to detect when they smoking [marijuana] and drinking [alcohol]. “My problem is these ideas start but then don’t continue, so I hope this follows through,” said Andrea Grazette, adding she also liked the idea of a mobile app. (DN)

TAXI OPERATORS TO GET THEIR DUE – Taxi operators in Barbados have been told that too long they  have accepted the crumbs of three or five per cent of the gains from the tourism industry and that they will be “plugged into the visitors’ economy”. That message of hope was delivered by the Minister of Tourism and International Business, Kerrie Symmonds as he gave a feature address to the Bridgetown Port Taxi Co-op Society Ltd’s 30th anniversary dinner at the Copcabana on Bay Street, St Michael, Saturday night. “Your history is one of struggle. But your 30-year celebration is one of diligence, the dedication to duty, the hard work of all of you who have made the co-op what it is today . . . . “The social and economic injustice which you guys have gone through 30 years ago must be seen as behind you and you must be plugged into the visitors’ economy.  When you have 255 operators at the Bridgetown Port, you cannot accept that between three to five per cent of the cruise ship business goes to the 255 people. Then who is getting all of the rest?” asked Symmonds. (DN)

FINANCE MINISTER LEADS DELEGATION TO IMF, WORLD BANK ANNUAL MEETINGS -  Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Ryan Straughn, led Barbados’ delegation to the just-concluded International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, DC from October 14 to 20. The delegation included the Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados (Alternate Governor of the IMF), Cleviston Haynes; the Director of Finance and Economic Affairs (Alternate Governor of the World Bank), Ian Carrington; and other officials from the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank of Barbados. While in Washington, the Barbadian delegation attended the Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ Meeting and participated in the Caribbean Caucus Meeting facilitated by the World Bank Managing Director of Operations, Axel van Trotsenburg. The delegation also met with Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF Managing Director, and Tao Zhang the IMF Deputy Managing Director, and participated in the Small States Forum with United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, and World Bank President, David Malpass. Aside from the obligatory meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, the delegation held bilateral discussions with partner countries, financial institutions and private sector investors. The Minister also held talks with the external creditor committee to wrap up the debt negotiations that led to the in principle settlement of the external commercial debt restructuring. Minister Straughn thanked the members of the committee for their patience and their continued commitment to Barbados, as the deal allows the Mia Mottley administration to put the country’s public debt on a sustainable trajectory and to restore macroeconomic fundamentals. The Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the IMF bring together Ministers of Finance, central bankers, development partners, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organizations and academics, to discuss issues of global concern, especially the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness. (BT)

REDUCED PUMPING AT DESALINATION PLANT MAY CAUSE LOW LEVELS – Ionics Freshwater Inc is advising the public that it has been forced to reduce pumping at its desalination plant because of technical issues being experienced on Sunday. The reduction in pumping from this facility on the Mighty Grynner Highway MAY result in low levels to customers of the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) in some parts of St Michael, St James, St Peter and St Thomas. This situation is currently receiving the attention of the plant’s engineers. The BWA will service any affected customers via water tanker as a temporary measure. Ionics Freshwater Inc apologizes for any inconvenience caused. (BT)

FOGGING SCHEDULE OCTOBER 21 TO 25 – The Ministry of Health and Wellness’ fogging programme will continue in four parishes next week. On Monday, the St Peter districts to be fogged are Diamond Corner, Lower Castle, Upper Castle, Gays Road, Mount #1 & #2, Boscobel, Collins, and the environs. The team will be in St James on Tuesday, spraying Sion Hill, Sion Hill Terrace with avenues, Westmoreland, Porters Road, Lancaster, and surrounding areas. On Wednesday, the St George districts of Bird Hill, Sinclair Road, Coral Drive, Bakers Close, Grace Drive, Haggatt Hall Development, Cutting Road, Mapp Hill, Dash Valley, Hanson Heights, and the environs will be sprayed. Areas to be fogged in Christ Church on Thursday, are Sargeant’s Village, Bartlett Road, Sargeant’s Village Tenantry Road, Browne’s Road, Smith Road, Warners Gardens, and neighbouring districts. The team will return to St James on Friday, to fog Paradise Heights, Hopefield Close, Wanstead Drive, the 2nd, 4th and 6th Avenues of Wanstead Terrace, West Terrace, West Terrace Gardens with Avenues 1 to 16, Oxnards, Violet Circle, Cherry Drive, West Terrace Heights and surrounding areas. Fogging takes place between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. each day. Householders are reminded to open their doors and windows to allow the spray to enter. (BGIS)

HOLDER: PHIL CAN DO IT – West Indies skipper Jason Holder has thrown his full support behind newly appointed head-coach Phil Simmons. Bursting with confidence after leading the Barbados Tridents to their second Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 trophy, Holder says he is optimistic about once again working with the former test player. Simmons, who was announced head coach of the regional side last week on a four-year contract by Cricket West Indies (CWI) in a media statement, played an integral role in the Tridents reaping CPL supremacy. In an exclusive interview with NATION SPORT, Holder who was recently relieved of the limited over captaincy, said he is anticipating improved performances from his team under Simmons. “I’ve worked with Phil on numerous occasions before. He has obviously been the coach of the West Indies team and he just won a title here with the Barbados Tridents. Phil and I have a really good relationship and I expect good things from him,” Holder said. (DN)

EASY 7-0 WIN FOR BDFSP – Rashad Jules’ hat-trick was the standout performance on Saturday night as his Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme (BDFSP) side easily brushed aside Abrahams United Silver Sands 7-0 in their Group 3 football game at the start of the Capelli Cup Championship stage at the Wildey Turf. Nicholas Best also contributed a brace to the BDFSP cause to send a resounding message to the other teams about their serious intentions. In the opening game, Crane & Equipment Ellerton secured a hard-fought 2-0 win over Pride of Gall Hill, courtesy of well-timed goals by Damien Walcott and Shaquan Clarke. For the first 20 minutes, Silver Sands dealt admirably with the challenge posed by the Defence Force. An error in the defensive ranks in the 24th minute allowed Best to sneak in the box and head home from close range following the mix-up.  (DN)

NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE ADAPTING TO CHANGING WORLD – The National Library Service is adjusting its mandate to meet the demands of a swiftly changing world, Minister of the Creative Economy, Culture and Sports, John King said. On Sunday, the National Library Service commenced celebrations for the organisation’s 172nd anniversary, where King showered library officials with praise for being a gateway to knowledge and culture in society. “The resources and services they offer create opportunities for learning, support literacy and help to shape the new ideas and perspectives that are central to the creative and innovative society. They also help to ensure effective record of knowledge created and accumulated by past generations,” he said. “In a world without libraries, it would be difficult to advance research and preserve the world’s cumulative knowledge and heritage for future generations. Whatever the cost of our libraries, it’s cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.” The Culture Minister reflected on the year, 1847 which saw the Public Library Act passed. He however pointed out that since then, demands on the National Library Service have transformed from providing physical books to internet access, mobile service to assist schools in rural communities, photocopying, outreach initiatives, audio books for the visually impaired and access to e-books among other services. He said library officials remained cognizant of the age of technology and are attempting to move Barbadians toward digital literacy by facilitating a number of discussions on key topics. “In the near future, the library plans to host presentations on technological issues such as block chain, cyber security and social media. I encourage you to listen out for these events and support them with your presence,” King urged.(BT)

HEALTHY ST. ALBANS – The students at St Alban’s Primary prefer to drink water more than anything else. In fact, when the boys and girls of the St James-based institution are feeling thirsty they quickly find the water-cooler, a tap, or buy bottled water, or reach into their school bags for the water they brought from home. Hundreds of bottled water are sold at the school weekly. According to principal Wendine Prince, the students do not have other choices since the school banned the sale of carbonated beverages in 2016 when she took up the leadership position. Two brands of juices that have low sugar content are only sold on Thursdays. “When I came here, what I observed was that children were eating very unhealthily. At break time you would see them with all types of sodas, and all types of sweet snacks. “It bothered me because if we do not take care of our children’s health now what will happen to Barbados’ future is that we will have an unproductive society because most of the time people will be ill. “So I decided at the beginning of the school year in 2016-2017 that we are going to stop selling any sodas, or juices which are just as unhealthy as sodas if they are loaded with sugar,” she said. Prince recalled that when she broke the news to teachers at the school that only bottled water would be sold they told her that students would not respond well to the new development since they were accustomed to sweet drinks. “But when we implemented it in 2016, a few weeks after the janitor came back and said ‘Ms Prince, the children are purchasing the water very well.’ And I said to her ‘it would happen because you are now changing the culture’. “So once you start to change the culture, eventually children realize this is what is happening at the school. There are no other alternatives, so we drink water. At times we would sell mauby, and the mauby wasn’t selling as well as the water because they had started getting accustomed to the water,” she said. The principal said that after realizing that not all students had the finances to purchase water daily, she approached an old scholar, Wendy Alleyne, about purchasing a water cooler. The school is now in process of acquiring another water cooler, due to an overwhelming response from students to the first one. “Our objective is to have a water-cooler on each block for the children. Children will change how they eat if we the adults make sure that we are providing them with healthy alternatives. There is a parent who is a nutritionist and I have asked her to provide us with a list of healthy alternatives to the snacks that we were selling to the children. She provided us with that list and we are now working on changing our offerings to the children concerning snacks”. The school is now selling fruits to students on particular days, and according to Prince the response to that initiative has also been overwhelming. The principal said she believes that the school has a greater responsibility than simply teaching academics. She stressed that students must also be taught how to live healthy lifestyles. “It is not the Ministry of Health. We have to lead the role as teachers and we too have to model the behaviour. I have implemented an exercise programme at the school and we also push athletics. “We bought a whole set of skipping ropes and we realize some students can’t skip. In the past, skipping was something that everybody could do, but not now. So we are promoting healthy movement and eating because the two must go together,” Prince said. (BT)

NOW THE CHILDREN CAN PLAY – After ten years of waiting, the students at St Silas Primary, Orange Hill, St Michael finally have a new play park to call their own. On Thursday, participants of the Prince’s Trust International Team Programme who played a significant role in designing the park officially handed over the facility to the school. Principal Sharon Sealy said she was excited when the participants chose St Silas as the place where they wanted to carry out their community project. She said for the past 10 years, the school made several attempts to reopen the facility so the 143 students would have somewhere to play. “But finances was against us. So this opportunity was one we grabbed with both arms because the children wanted it and they were asking all the time ‘ma’am when are we going to get the play park fixed that we can get into it?’ Now we have a brand new play park by the efforts of the young people and that makes it even more special,” Sealy said. The Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF), in conjunction with Prince’s Trust International, a registered charitable organisation in England and Wales, embarked on a partnership to deliver the Team Programme in Barbados. The programme is designed to assist young people between the ages of 16 to 25 who are unemployed or not engaged in any formal aspects of educational or vocational training, and who may be considered “at risk” because of these factors. Team coordinator for the Prince’s Trust International Programme, Sergeant Hallam Jemmott said the BDS$1000 the participants raised through a fundraising effort was added to donations made by business places and individuals. The total cost of the project was over BDS$3000. “For the next two weeks the participants will go into job placements where they will be placed at various business places. That was designed to give them an opportunity to see what the world of work is, to look at their attitude and their aptitude towards work. “The whole idea of the programme is to get them into the world of work. So rather than sitting down home doing nothing you prepare yourself for work” Sergeant Jemmott said. The Sergeant said that while there have been several success stories coming from the Prince’s Trust Programme in Barbados, he was proud to report that at least two graduates have joined the RBPF and others were now working in various sectors.(BT)

MAURICE BISHOP’S UNIQUE REVOLUTION – Today marks the 36th death anniversary of Maurice Rupert Bishop who led New jewel Movement members in the first – and only so far – revolutionary takeover of a government in the English-speaking Caribbean. As was relayed during a recent symposium commemorating the tragedy of Bishop’s death, there are examples of discontent among the populations of many Caribbean countries, but none so provoking as the circumstances in Grenada that saw Bishop and NJM overthrow the administration of prime minister Eric Gairy and establish a People’s Revolutionary Government in 1979 until he was deposed and, along with a number of colleagues, executed by firing squad on October 19, 1983. Head of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Campus Department of History and Philosophy, Dr Henderson Carter, said that the Grenada revolution is so important that it should warrant a lecture by Professor Brian Meeks (on which Barbados TODAY has already reported) and a symposium as well. “There are generations of young people born after 1979 who have no idea of what happened in Grenada during the 1970s under Eric Gairy, and during the period under Prime Minister Maurice Bishop,” he said in opening remarks in the Cynthia Wilson Arts Lecture Theatre last week. Panellists were retired journalist, Tim Slinger; Chair of Africana Studies at Brown University, Rhode Island, USA, Professor Brian Meeks; Senior Lecturer in Political Science, Cave Hill, Dr Wendy Grenade; and Associate Professor of Caribbean and Diaspora Studies, Arizona State University, USA, Dr David Hinds. Testimony by Grenade,  a Grenadian, of experiences from a pre-teen at the time of the revolution, perhaps more than other historical accounts, pointed to the uniqueness and lasting impact of the 4 ½ years of revolutionary government that ended in a dispute over  the form of party and government leadership needed. That dispute fractured NJM and saw militia of one faction executing Bishop and government ministers Fitzroy Bain, Norris Bain, Evelyn Bullen Jacqueline Creft, Keith Hayling, Evelyn Maitland, and Unison Whiteman. “I was in a ‘Gairyite household, a Pentecostal household, but in the Anglican high school,” she said, adding that, “a contradiction of worlds produced me because at home you would be hearing this revolution is about anti-God. Then you go to school and you’re a 12-year-old little girl and you understanding Apartheid and imperialism in Form One.” Stating that the Anglican high school’s revolutionary education “helped to bring balance to my little mind” she added: “it’s no surprise that a number of us who were high school children during that period, we end up questioning [colonial] empire and we are dealing with issues of social justice”. “Something happened in that period that produced a particular type in me… in many of us.” Hinds listed rebellion in Union Island; protests in Guyana leading to the assassination of Walter Rodney; insurrection that fell a Dominica government; a St Lucia radical vote for change to a leftist government; and revolution in Suriname, all in the 1970s and 1980s, as the influencing atmosphere for Maurice Bishop and the NJM. “All of these rebellions and insurrections were happening in the Caribbean at the same time of the Grenadian revolution.” While endorsing Hinds’ analysis, Professor Meeks offered that causal factors of the Grenada revolution were more and different. Distinguishing between popular upheaval, a revolutionary situation, and a revolution, he said: “in the Anglophone Caribbean, in the 1970s, there was only one revolution. It was the revolution in Grenada”. Meeks, a former lecturer in political theory, comparative politics and Caribbean political thought at four universities in the US, Suriname, and UWI, added Trinidad and Tobago to the list Dr Hinds had put forward. He however said of the lot, except Suriname, “there was a period of upheaval but in only one country was there a revolution, an overthrow of the state and an attempt to reconstruct the society on entirely different foundations”. “There were special conditions in Grenada which led to a revolutionary situation.” He said that unlike most of the Caribbean that experienced labour unrest between 1936 to 1938 giving rise to trade unions and political parties, “this is postponed in Grenada and it happens in 1951” when Gairy was elected to the colony of Grenada’s Legislative Council. “Gairy comes to the fore, but his very existence, his personage, doesn’t fit the bill. And the middle classes … are very unhappy with him. The upper classes are very unhappy with him.” Discriminatory practices of Gairy, who was in and out of office, served as Premier and led the country to independence in 1974, was at the same time angering working class Grenadians. “So what we were having is this crisis at the top in that the people who are the economic and social elites are not having the political leader. They’re hostile to him. There is no united top, a crisis from below as people are not seeing the benefits of Gairyism. This crisis at the top and crisis from below is the context in which the New Jewel Movement emerged as an organisation.” (BT)

There are 73 days left in the year Shalom!  Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps #bajannewscaps #newsinanutshell

Under the cut you will find Mary’s app, minus the para sample + the ooc info!

* DEVELOPMENT :

Character Name, age, pronouns and house:

M A R Y / M A R I A ;; her name is biblical and means sea of bitterness, rebellion and wished for child. These fit Mary quite well: while she tries hard not to be a cynic, a bitterness sits inside her and makes her look at the world with a dark look; she’s filled with determination to do what is right and to stand up against those who are in her eyes wrong, and she is thus rebellious (she also grew up pranking her sister and brothers quite a lot), and Mary waswished for, as her parents are nothing but loving.

The Mary/Maria thing is, I think, a confusing one and I will clear that up right away: Mary’s mother is Puerto Rican and her father is Scottish, and when she was born they could not quitedecide if they wanted to name their first daughter the English or Spanish name of Mary/Maria. Her birth certificate says Mary, and it’s the name she goes by at Hogwarts, but to her mother and extended maternal family, she has always been Maria. As she’s proud of her Puerto Rican roots, Mary doesn’t keep quiet with this, and loves the fact that she kind of has twonames.

A G A T H A ;; this name was picked because of the famous writer Agatha Christie, whose books Mary’s parents loved deeply. It means good woman, which I do truly think Mary is, despite her faults and flaws.

M A C D O N A L D ;; a Scottish surname of a proud family that lives in the Scottish highlands. A long line of farmers, they’re hardworking and no-nonsense, but have great love and respect in their heart. Mary loves her name, except for the fact that a lot of people tended to sing Old MacDonald whenever they saw her or her siblings in town: it simply grew annoying.

A G E ;; sixteen years old. Mary was born October 25th 1959, which makes her a Scorpio:

       Positive traits include magnetic charisma, ambition, drive, a penetrating mind, curiosity, intensity of focus, emotional depth, consistency, persistence, willpower, and the potential for inner transformation and regeneration        Negative traits include selfishness, obsessiveness, vindictiveness, hypersensitivity,ruthlessness, cynicism, an inability to understand the word “moderation,” and jealousy

P R O N O U N S ;; she/her.

H O U S E ;; Gryffindor.

Choose five of the follow questions to answer.

What is their patronus?  Why does this fit your character?

The P H O E N I X is a creature that’s constantly reborn, that constantly rises from its ashes. One of my most important themes for Mary is that she always gets up. Always. Whatever might knock her down, whatever might make her feel more lost than anything, she gets back up. I feel like this fits in with the Phoenix beautifully ( and while I feel a little guilty using a ‘rare’ patronus, I cannot help but love this one so much for her ).

Phoenixes are also creatures that are associated to fire a lot and while Mary had quite the fear of fire as a child, she is firehearted. She’s warm and compassionate and inflammatory and spirited. She’s someone who can burn entire empire and walk over its ashes as well as give warmth to those who need it ( she will usually pick the latter, but in the future she has no trouble fighting back with gritted teeth ).

This bird also doesn’t die, and Mary is ( in canon ) the only one of our beautiful trinity who comes out of the war physically & mentally healthy, unlike Lily, who dies and Alice, who loses her mind. Many others she loves die too, and to her it will more than often feel like a burden than a gift; for what is life without your loved ones there by your side?

The Chinese Phoenix is also thought of as a gentle creature, and while Mary has her rough edges and dark sides, I do believe she is gentle in her core. With her friends, she’s warm and loving and barely ever brash, and with strangers she will hardly be rude unless they give her reason to be.

In Chinese culture, when a house was decorated with a Phoenix, this meant the people living there were loyal and honest. Mary is loyal to her very core and could never be moved to betray those she love; she would die, if she could keep them safe. As she’s not a good liar, Mary’s also honest; she’s not always happy about this fact, as it doesn’t always benefit her, but it does make her an outspoken individual.

What is their wand and their wand core?  Why does this fit your character?

Sycamore, Dragon Heart String, 12 ½ inches, reasonably supple.

                   The sycamore makes a questing wand, eager                    for new experience and losing brilliance if                    engaged in mundane activities. It is a quirk of                    these handsome wands that they may combust                    if allowed to become ‘bored,’ and many witches                    and wizards, settling down into middle age, are                    disconcerted to find their trusty wand bursting                    into flame in their hand as they ask it, one more                    time, to fetch their slippers. As may be deduced,                    the sycamore’s ideal owner is curious, vital and                    adventurous, and when paired with such an owner,                   it demonstrates a capacity to learn and adapt that                    earns it a rightful place among the world’s most                    highly-prized wand woods.

I think this fits Mary quite well; she gets restless when there is nothing to do and doesn’t feel inspired when she’s doing something that doesn’t interest her. Mary, even though her spirit is somewhat damaged at the moment, is a vivacious being, someone who does not do anything half-heartedly.

I chose the Dragon Heartstring, mostly because I really didn’t think a Unicorn Hair core would fit; Mary would, even though she hates it, dabble in some darker spells if it could save lives. I also didn’t think the Phoenix feather core fit as well as the Dragon one did. Dragon Heartstring cores fit fast learners, and Mary definitely is that. The wand is also temperamental, and so is Mary.

What is a song lyric that represents your character?

i’d rather be spitting blood // than have this silence fuck me up (…)  i’d rather have broken bones // than feel myself turn to stone                                               ( troye sivan, the quiet. )

How would your character react if they saw an older student bullying a first year Muggleborn?

First, Mary would understand; she has been in that situation more than often, has seen her best friend Lily end up in that situation ( even having been bullied by someone who called her a friend ) and knows what it is like. She knows how it makes your skin crawl with a feeling of powerlessness; how useless the anger you feel usually is, as these pureblood elitists will not change their mind because of you; she knows how somewhere, even though you may not like it, there is also fear sneaking in the back of your mind, because this is what a great part of the wizarding community thinks.

Secondly, there would be anger. Because of her understanding of the situation – better than most, considering last year – she will feel an outrage, because this shouldn’t be happening. Bullying in the first place is something that makes her feel nauseous, but when it’s based on something like this, it also causes a rage. She will use this to speak up, to show the older student that this not okay: because Mary will never sit idly by and watch injustice happen under her nose. She’ll snap and her words will be cutting and her eyes will be narrowed. Fear will not be present, not when there is something to be done.

Lastly, there would be comfort. Once the older student vanishes ( which, hopefully, is sooner rather than later ) she will look after the younger student her brothers do for her with soothing words and a few promises she cannot keep. Mary is compassionate and warm, and while it could become a weakness, it is a strength at present time: it makes her stand up to injustice and look after those who need it.

Is you character a virgin?  How do they view sex?  What’s their sexuality?  Does their gender align to their canon gender?

Mary is not a virgin. She lost her virginity just before Christmas break last school year at the age of sixteen to someone who did not mean too much to her in that way: they were both a bit more than tipsy, both attracted to each other and both filled with the energy that had been pulsing through the party. It was no bad experience; Mary doesn’t feel regret about not losing her virginity to someone who meant a little more to her, as in her eyes it’s not a big deal.

Even though Mary was raised Christian and is still religious, her thoughts on sex do not really fit her upbringing: she feels no need to wait for marriage and doesn’t think sex should just be between two people. No, Mary thinks sex is something that people should simply do if they want to, and not do if they don’t want to. She, herself, has not yet has sex with someone sheloved, and this is something that doesn’t bother her at all: she is, after all, young, and she’s having fun.

    ( internalised ) biphobia tw for the coming paragraph

Her sexuality is something she did struggle a little more with than sex in general. Mary is bisexual, and this is something that wasn’t much of a surprise to her, but it did take a while for her to figure it out. Mary was confused about liking girls for a few years, was not sure how shecould, as she liked boys as well. She knew some girls liked girls and she was okay with that, but she felt like that wasn’t just the case for her. Eventually she came across the termbisexual, and a weight seemed to roll off her shoulders when she did. Mary took the label and applied it upon herself, coming out to her friends with a slight nonchalance but a relieved grin still on her lips. She hasn’t told her family yet and knows she won’t until she really has to. With all the things going on around her, she doesn’t wish to deal with the potential reaction her parents might have.

Still, there is no shame surrounding her sexuality. Mary might not have come out to her parents, but she is not necessarily quiet about her sexuality to her friends and other schoolmates. She takes pride in it, actually —– Mary might be an insecure person, but she does take pride in the ways she can identify. She’s proudly half-latina, she’s proudly muggleborn and she’s proudly bisexual.

Mary identifies as a woman and has never questioned her gender much. She’s got sides that are very traditionally feminine and sides that are more traditionally masculine, and she won’t let people judge her for either of those. She can wear lipstick and play football, can wear dresses and still kick ass and she takes pride in her being a woman.

What’s the best thing that’s ever happened to them? What’s the worst?

T H E   B E S T ( discovering she’s a witch )

Mary turns eleven and this is what she knows: she’s a farm girl, she prefers speaking Spanish because then she gets to roll her R’s, she has two brothers and one sister, she is good at history and bad at maths, and strange things happen to her. Strange things that no one can quite explain, strange things that excite and frighten her at the same time. Strange things that happen when she’s happy or angry or scared.

                     One time, Carlos cut all the hair off her favourite doll’s head                      and Mary got so angry that his favourite car exploded in little                      pieces of plastic.

Mary turns eleven and a day and she knows all the same things and this: she is a witch. Suddenly there is an explanation for all these sparks and explosions, and Mary for a moment looks at her parents in fear, because doesn’t the bible say magic is evil? But the MacDonalds are accepting and open-minded and shake their head, because if magic flows through her daughter, there is no way it could be evil.

And so Mary accepts the truth and makes it her own. She’s a witch, and she’s proud and intrigued, as there are a thousand things she does not know yet. She gets her books and her wand and her robes, and her parents tell her she can take one of the family cats with her so she doesn’t have to miss him, and Mary dreams of a beautifully big castle with endless opportunities.

This moment in her life, of course, leads to many more beautiful ones. It leads to her meeting Alice and Lily, who soon become two new siblings of hers. It leads to her discovering that she has great power and that she can use it in incredible ways. It leads to her finding out about Quidditch and actually making it on the team — Mary played football back at home, you see and the team very much reminds her of her siblings and the sport of football, too. It leads to tasting Fizzing Whizbees and Chocolate Frogs. It leads to learning about new creatures and parts of history she did not now yet. It leads to meeting people who inspire her constantly. It leads to her growing as a person and a witch.

It also leads to things that are less pretty. It leads to her discovering that discrimination is a big part of the wizarding culture as well. It leads to her hearing slurs thrown at her and her red-haired sister. It leads to moments where she fails at spells. It leads to tumbling down stairs and losing her way and feeling overwhelmed with all these things that are new to her. It leads to being the victim of an Unforgivable curse. It leads to her being told that there is nothing they can do. It leads to her feeling lost and unsafe at a place that had become her second home. It leads to Hogwarts being attacked and Mary finding herself in a battle at sixteen years old. It leads to her seeing the dead bodies of people who taught her, of people she saw in the hallways. It leads to her learning of a war where people like herself and her friends are constantly killed for the things they are labelled to be.

Still, it’s the best thing that ever happened to her, and even though there are many bad things that happened because she entered the wizarding world at age eleven, she would never go back to just being a muggle.

T H E   W O R S T ( mulciber )

She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was pure coincidence that it was her who had been there. It had not been personal, but it was, of course it still was.

You cannot take someone’s will away and say it wasn’t personal. You cannot cause mental harm to someone and say that it wasn’t even that bad. You should not even be able to get away with a thing like that, but Arjun Mulciber did.

He did, and left Mary fractured and confused, even if she didn’t like to admit it.

Perhaps the fact that it was random, that it could all be blamed on coincidence, was what made it even worse: Mary felt guilty wishing this hadn’t happened to her, as that would mean it would have happened to someone else. Another muggleborn, who was condemned for something they had no power over. And while she hated what had happened, while it made a cold feeling run over her spine whenever she thought of it, she could never wish it upon someone else.

                                                                          – / –

Here’s the thing about someone taking away your will and forcing you to do things: it makes you distrustful of your own body, makes you feel unsafe wherever you go. While no physical harm had come to Mary when she was cursed, there was plenty of harm caused mentally. She had suddenly grown paranoid and scared, was damaged in a way she didn’t like to think about.

Mary, in all honesty, felt weak the moment the curse broke and even weaker now that months have passed. Because she is still not over it, is still worried about seeing his face again, is still haunted by that one afternoon and all the things that followed.

Maybe, if he’d been expelled, things would have been better. Maybe then, Mary would be able to move on and feel a little safer in the castle that was supposed to be her home. But he was still at Hogwarts, he was still laughing with friends and taking the same classes she would take next year. He was still there, very much okay, and she was, too, but she was not okay at all.

Her confrontation with Mulciber is something that has changed Mary. It has given her a new kind of bravery, but also more fears. It has given her paranoia, but also determination. It has given her a reason to cower in a corner, but that is not her, and so it has also given her a reason to move on with her head high and her entire being filled with a determination to prove people like him wrong.

Because if there’s one thing she’s sure of ( and there are not many of those ), it’s that she won’t allow this to happen to anyone else as long as she has a say in it.

Is there anyone they would kill for?  Would they die for anyone?  Where does that list differ?

Mary is, in the end, a selfless being. She looks at the war and wishes to fight to contribute to the greater good, to stand up for what is right and work towards a future of freedom and safety. Because of this, she would have no trouble dying in the war if it was meaningful. If she could save a life, she would, if she could buy a group of people time by facing death with a raised chin, she would. Mary isn’t necessarily scared to die, but she is scared of dying for no reason, with no purpose at all.

When I say that Mary would die to save a life, I don’t mean any life, of course. Mary might be noble and selfless, but she’s not reckless. She’s seen Death Eaters, she’s been attacked by a purist and she knows that she wouldn’t die for them. She wouldn’t die for people who’d kill her if they got the chance, wouldn’t die for people who are even less aggressive about their discrimination.

Still, the list for people she would die for is long: on top, of course, are her family and friends. Then follow classmates and students that are not blood purists, civilians, other victims of the war, etcetera, etcetera. Honestly, Mary hasn’t spent to much time thinking about it, but in this sense she’s very much Gryffindor: she is ready to die in battle, ready to die a death that is glorious and heroic. Mary is loyal and committed and is set on taking a big part in this war, as she feels like she has no choice either way.

Killing, however, is a different story. It’s not only a sin, but also just something that is very much wrong in Mary’s eyes. Still, she is not naive and not at all pacifistic, and knows the Death Eaters do things much worse than kill. While she would never kill out of choice, she knows that – if she were to become part of the war – she might have to choose between killing or being killed, and as it’s a war, she thinks she would be able to. Not that she likes the idea of it much.

If her killing somebody would save somebody she loved, she would without a thought. Mary is very much human and would not think about the moral side of it all ( which she would, was it her own life that was at stake ), as she will go to the end of the world to keep those she loves safe. The people she would kill for are Alice and Lily, naturally, all of her other friends and her family members.

As for other people, I’m not sure. There’s a lot of different scenarios to consider and the options are endless and I won’t bore you too much with them. If Mary could save a life by taking a other, she would feel very conflicted ( if this life didn’t belong to a loved one ) and I think it all depends on the situation, on who these people are and what the stakes exactly are. I can’t give a proper answer, but I do know that Mary would kill to save some lives, even though she doesn’t know this yet. Of course, she will always try to stun first.

How do they feel about the war?  Do they plan on getting (more) involved?

Mary feels a wide range of emotions when it comes to the war:

    - She is A N G R Y. Angry, because the school that was supposed to be a safe place was attacked, because there is a movement in the world that is against a certain group of people, a group that is willing to use violence to reach their goal, which is based on a crooked ideology. She is angry that there is discrimination, angry because it makes no sense and is only making the world a place that is scary and filled with terror. Mary knows the effects discrimination can have — her mother is a Puerto Rican living in a small Scottish town, after all — and has always been very strongly against it. The fact that blood purism has such a large following makes her feel hot with rage, in all honesty, because it’s simply wrong.         A lot of her anger is also caused by a feeling of powerlessness. There is not much she can do, at this point, as she is still in school and has not even finished her education. And even if she was a fully qualified witch who no longer had to attend classes, there is only so little she can do. It’s frustrating to know that this war comes from a long, long history of purist thoughts and anti-muggle sentiments, and that it because of that won’t disappear as quickly as she would like. It’s frustrating to know that even though she might work her hardest and try her best to influence the world around her, it won’t be enough. This, of course, does not mean that Mary won’t try.

   - She is F R I G H T E N E D. Fear is a funny thing, Mary learned last year. It’s like a different person altogether, living in a corner of your mind, and even when you think they’re gone, they’re still there. Whispering, softly making your muscles tense because the world around you is slowly falling apart and so are you, and while it’s enough to make someone angry, it’s also really scary. Mary knows what some people are capable of, has seen it, has felt it, and it’s simply unnerving to know what they are willing to do for their cause.        Mary is frightened for the future and what is to come. She is terrified that the war will only get worse, that it will cost the lives of people she holds so very dear, that she will lose herself. She doesn’t like to admit it, but her fear is a thing that greatly influences her. It’s part of her, and Mary prefers to deny it rather than accept it, as she feels weak for being scared. Of course, it’s only logical that she is: this war is a terrifying one, after all.

   - She is D E T E R M I N E D. The two emotions mentioned before both lead to Mary feeling determined. She’s someone who gets up every time, someone who will never be fully beaten down no matter what. Mary is determined to stand up for what is right, to fight in this war and show people that she will not stand for this injustice, that there is no way to silence her besides ending her life. Last years happenings had great impact on her, and while they have left her spirit somewhat fractured and her heart filled with invisible scars, she is trying to use her negative experiences to learn.        Mary wishes to become an Auror, to practice the law the way she deems right. She wants to become part of the Ministry, an institution she does not back fully. That, however, is just another reason for her to work there: to be part of something that feels corrupt to her. The only way to make sure things are one the right way is to do it yourself, after all.

I don’t think I need to clarify it, but the answer is yes, Mary does plan on getting involved. She’s filled with determination, fear and anger and with those three emotions swirling through her being she will not sit by idly as a war rages on. Mary doesn’t know in what way she wishes to get more involved, as she doesn’t know what ways there are for her to do so. All she knows is that, eventually, she will. And rather sooner than later.

What’s their best class?  How will that skill benefit them as they begin looking for a job?

Mary is, usually, best at Defense. It’s a class that comes natural to her, something that she also just enjoys very much. It’s a very physical and practical subject, and while Mary is good at theoretical stuff, these kind of things simply come more natural to her. She’s able to channel her emotions into her magic quite well, which is why spells as the Patronus are ones that she likes most.

It is not, however, her favourite class: the teacher changes every year, of course, which is something that very much bothers her. It’s tiring to her that she has to adjust to a new professor each year. No, Mary’s favourite subject is Transfiguration: she holds an immense amount of respect for Minerva McGonagall and as the class is a challenge it’s something that constantly keeps her interested and alert. She’s not as good in it as she’d like, but she’s never been bad at it.

In all honesty, Mary’s quite a good student. She’s skilled in many departments of magic and very much enjoys learning. It does depend on the teacher how motivated she is. With History, for example, she’s not very motivated because Binns is not the most inspirational teacher, to put it lightly. She dropped the subject because of this, but does enjoy reading history books very much ( it was one of her favourite subjects in elementary school ). Potions is a class she struggles with a lot, but as Lily is one of her best friends, she’s able to get help if she needs it.

Mary’s skills in DADA will definitely help her with the goals she has set for herself. Of course, becoming an Auror is more than dueling and fighting against the dark arts, but it is a very big part of it. She’s got her mind set on doing some extra assignments for the class this year as well, just to become better at the subject and so she can feel more prepared should another battle come.

How did they react when they learned of Dumbledore’s death?

Mary didn’t hold the same amount of respect for Albus Dumbledore that most of the people at Hogwarts and in the wizarding community did: he did not back her up when she needed him to, and it very much shattered her blind admiration for the man. Still, she knew that he was an important person to Hogwarts and was doing very much to keep the place safe from the war.

When she learned he had died, Mary was shocked. Dumbledore seemed like someone who could not be defeated, an immensely strong force in this war who was on the good side. On her side. She felt grief, too, of course. While he had disappointed her before, he had still been a good man – flawed, yes, but still good – and it was terrible that good people were killed. Fear followed once her shock and grief had become less loud, as this meant only terrible things for the future of Hogwarts. Mary hadn’t felt safe at Hogwarts for a couple of months before the battle, but this feeling only grew when Dumbledore was murdered. Even worse, she knew that other people would also start to feel unsafe and she didn’t wish that uponanyone.

* WRITING SAMPLES :

Respond to the following prompt as though it was a short chat.  Be sure to include a gif.

“Yeah mate, I saw them snogging in the astronomy tower.  I know it’s a bit unconventional, but we’re in the middle of a war.  Love is all that matters at a time like this.”

“Whoa, slow down there, buddy,” said Mary, taking a sip of her coffee. “Love is all that matters? That’s … I mean, it’s a beautiful sentiment, but that’s not true. Not to be a smarty-pants, or anything, but morals and security and respect and all those things matter too.” A pause. “Still, though, really? Them, snogging? I had not seen that one coming at all.”

Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes

The post Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

The holidays are a time of celebration, enthusiastic gift giving and (if we’re being honest) overindulgence for many humans. And because we love our dogs, it’s totally natural to want to include them in our festivities, but making too merry can make a dog sick.

According to Embrace Pet Insurance, the holidays coincide with an annual increase of claims for pancreatitis, gastroenteritis and intoxication, just to name a few. If you want your dog to be in good shape for the New Year, keep your holiday celebration canine-friendly by following these tips and fixes.

1. Don’t share human holiday treats with your dog

Don’t feed your dog from the table — and make sure he can’t help himself, either! Photography ©Terran Bayer | AnimalHaus Media.

Flames dancing in the hearth may put you in the holiday spirit, but an inflamed pancreas, also known as pancreatitis, will put your dog in pain and danger.

Symptoms include decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting and lethargy. The really sad part is, humans are a major cause of pancreatitis around the holidays.

“Everybody wants to make their dog happy at the holidays and so they want to feed them something and, oftentimes, it comes from the dinner table. It’s too rich, and it gives them an upset tummy or pancreatitis sometimes,” explains Dr. Gwen Jeun, the current president of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association.

How to indulge your dog on the holidays — in a healthy way

Dr. Jeun says the best holiday feast for a dog is whatever dog food they usually eat. While human foods like cheese or turkey skin are often the cause of an episode of pancreatitis, even a switch from one dog food to another can be problematic, Dr. Jeun says.

She recalls one Boxing Day she spent with a dog whose Christmas presents included a doggie turkey dinner in a can … that ended up coming with a side of pancreatitis.

Luckily, Dr. Jeun helped the dog make it through, and the story also lives on as a reminder that switching up the canine menu isn’t the gift we humans imagine it to be.

What do you do if your dog gets pancreatitis?

If your dog does get pancreatitis, what do you do? If your dog is panting, shaking, reluctant to eat, vomiting or experiencing diarrhea, don’t let anyone offer more table scraps or even dog food, and get your pooch to the veterinarian as soon as you can. The veterinarian can tell you if it’s pancreatitis or something else, and provide medications for vomiting and pain, plus intravenous fluids if necessary.

2. Watch the table, the turkey and the trash

Of course, the increase in pancreatitis cases over the holiday season isn’t just due to what we humans are feeding our dogs, but also what they feed themselves if given the chance, and they do have so many tempting chances at this time of year.

“We certainly see a lot of dietary indiscretion around the holidays,” says Dr. Jen Kasten, DVM, who serves as the Technical Services Veterinarian for Tomlyn Veterinary Science.

Sometimes it’s dogs raiding the garbage or “cleaning up” food dropped at the dinner table, she says. Other times, people will “carve their turkey and then walk away, and the dog thinks, ‘Oh, that’s a tasty snack up on the counter, let me go grab it,” Dr. Kasten explains, noting that in either case, the ingestion of bones can lead to medical emergencies, like a gastrointestinal obstruction (a blockage in the digestive tract).

If a bone is causing a blockage in a dog’s body, symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea and a lack of appetite. Sometimes, dogs experiencing gastrointestinal obstructions do require surgery to get the bone out. Last year Embrace Pet Insurance received $33,000 worth of claims due to dogs ingesting foreign bodies (including bones).

Blockages aren’t the only issues that getting into the turkey can lead to. Dietary indiscretion can cause gastroenteritis, which, like pancreatitis, can be life-threatening. Repeated vomiting or diarrhea can be symptoms of gastroenteritis or pancreatitis, or they can be the dog’s whole diagnosis. One loose stool isn’t a big deal, but prolonged diarrhea or vomiting can lead to deadly dehydration, so it’s best to take your pup to the vet quickly.

How to keep your dog away from toxic or potentially unhealthy food

If you know your pooch likely can’t resist the temptation of a carved turkey, keep him out of the kitchen or away from the dining room while the bird is on the platter. A dog gate might be your best bet if your thresholds allow for one. If you’ve got a more open floor plan, you may want to put your pooch in another room or have adult family members take turns watching him closely and keeping him entertained.

Similarly, make sure gifts containing food (like boxes of fancy chocolates) aren’t wrapped and placed under the tree or left in stockings. Store them someplace high and out of your dog’s reach until Christmas morning, and don’t leave them out after unwrapping.

What do you do if your dog eats something he shouldn’t?

If your dog does sneak into something he wasn’t supposed to, don’t panic. Call your vet or the closest emergency vet to find out what action you need to take and if you should take him in. If you’re not familiar with emergency veterinarian services in your area, take a minute before the holidays to learn the on-call number and the location and put it on an easily accessible place, like your refrigerator. You can also call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center phone number at 888-426-4435 (a consultation fee may be charged).

3. Avoid gifting bones

Avoid gifting bones this holiday season. Photography ©Redphotographer | Getty Image.

Both Dr. Kasten and Dr. Jeun say it’s not just the bones in the garbage bag, but bones in gift bags, too, that dog lovers should be mindful of. The vets suggest humans avoid giving bones as gifts to their dog, or loved ones’ dogs, as sometimes the 5-dollar bone or antler Aunt Sarah left under the tree for Spot can lead to cracked teeth and a big dental bill (and of course can cause those blockages mentioned earlier).

Dr. Jeun suggests, for young dogs, a pair of winter booties they can be trained to wear in the snow might be a better gift and that a soft new dog bed is always jolly good for dogs of any age.

When to head to the vet

If you see the following behaviors in your pup, it’s time to head to the vet. The first sign of a cracked tooth is often a yelp or cry when your dog is busy with his bone. You might see some bleeding, too. If you don’t notice these signs right away, your dog might start avoiding his food or chewing with only one side of his mouth. Depending on the severity of the crack, you may be referred to a veterinary dentist.

4. Deal with stress

The holidays can be stressful for humans and, because they have even less control over the chaos then we do, this time of year can be even more trying for pets. Stress can lead to colitis (the most obvious symptom of which is diarrhea), gastroenteritis (which also involves a lot of vomiting and diarrhea) and exacerbate other health issues, so taking steps to reduce interruptions to your dog’s routine should remain a top priority during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

Keep the walk routine as stable as the menu, and make sure your pup has a safe place to go if you’re going to be having guests in and out of the house. For dogs who need a little extra help chilling out, Dr. Kasten recommends dog treats with tryptophan and ginger.

Tips to reduce holiday stress in dogs

To reduce your dog’s holiday stress, start with reducing your own. According to Jill Breitner, author of the Dog Decoder Smartphone App, it’s not as much the addition of indoor trees and decorations that stress our dogs out at home during the holidays, but how the humans are feeling and how we’re interacting with each other.

“Any time there’s an environmental change, dogs will respond,” Jill tells Dogster. “But what happens over the holidays is, people are stressed.”

Being around humans who are arguing with each other can stress a dog out and even lead to physical symptoms. Behavioral changes in your dog can be the first sign that something’s wrong, even before vomiting or loose stools.

“Just hiding behind the couch and kind of peering out with some facial tension, with their ears back and down and panting might be a sign of pain,” Jill explains.

How to get your dog ready for company

If your dog does not do well with company, but you are planning to have people over, Jill suggests getting your pooch ready for the big day a couple days in advance by introducing him to the room he may stay in by himself during the festivities. She cautions against leaving a dog alone in a separate room if he’s not used to it (as that can actually cause stress) but says for some dogs who have had the opportunity to get accustomed to it, being away from a large family gathering in their own safe space is preferable.

Keep your dog engaged

Our dogs don’t need a wedge of brie to know that we love them, but they may need a little extra attention during the holidays, especially as our attention gets spread thin. Jill suggests making sure we exercise our dogs before any big holiday events (whether they’ll be attending or not).

What to do if you have to leave your dog home alone

If you’re going to have a late night at a holiday party, make sure your dog is going to be comfortable before you go. Set up an automatic feeder to serve his food, and if you think you’ll be getting home late, have a pet sitter or dog walker swing by to check on your pup.

How to handle boredom or depression in dogs

If your dog seems bored or depressed, it may be a sign that his routine has been sent out of whack by your holiday plans. Try to schedule as many walks and outings over the holidays as you do on any regular day to make sure that your dog gets the exercise and attention he’s used to.

Taking a stroll around the neighborhood to check out the light displays or bringing your dog outside to make a snowman are great ways to include your dog in holiday activities.

If your pup hasn’t had as much of your time as he normally would lately, consider a doggie date night and snuggle up on the couch in front of a festive film. Just don’t share the salted, buttered popcorn.

Top holiday health humbugs

What are some of the biggest insurance claims this time of year? Photography Terran Bayer | AnimalHaus Media.

Last December Embrace Pet Insurance saw:

$10,000 worth of claims for chocolate poisoning

$12,000 for gastroenteritis

$23,000 for vomiting and diarrhea

So look up and write down the information for the nearest emergency vet clinic, especially if you and your dog are away from home this holiday season. Also, don’t keep chocolate (especially the sugar-free kind with xylitol) where your pup can reach it. And remember, there is no wrapping paper stronger than a dog’s nose.

Thumbnail: Photography by Charlotte Reeves Photography.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Dogster magazine. Have you seen the new Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? Subscribe now to get Dogster magazine delivered straight to you!

About the author:

Heather Marcoux is a freelance writer who loves the holidays almost as much as she loves her dogs, GhostBuster and Marshmallow. They won’t be getting cheese this Christmas. You can see them pouting over that on Instagram, where they are known as @ghostpets.

Read more about the holidays and dogs:

Holidays and Dogs: Keep Your Pup Happy at Every Age

4 Dog-Friendly Holiday Recipes That Humans Can Eat, Too

How to Stop Diarrhea in Dogs This Holiday Season

The post Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes

The post Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

The holidays are a time of celebration, enthusiastic gift giving and (if we’re being honest) overindulgence for many humans. And because we love our dogs, it’s totally natural to want to include them in our festivities, but making too merry can make a dog sick.

According to Embrace Pet Insurance, the holidays coincide with an annual increase of claims for pancreatitis, gastroenteritis and intoxication, just to name a few. If you want your dog to be in good shape for the New Year, keep your holiday celebration canine-friendly by following these tips and fixes.

1. Don’t share human holiday treats with your dog

Don’t feed your dog from the table — and make sure he can’t help himself, either! Photography ©Terran Bayer | AnimalHaus Media.

Flames dancing in the hearth may put you in the holiday spirit, but an inflamed pancreas, also known as pancreatitis, will put your dog in pain and danger.

Symptoms include decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting and lethargy. The really sad part is, humans are a major cause of pancreatitis around the holidays.

“Everybody wants to make their dog happy at the holidays and so they want to feed them something and, oftentimes, it comes from the dinner table. It’s too rich, and it gives them an upset tummy or pancreatitis sometimes,” explains Dr. Gwen Jeun, the current president of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association.

How to indulge your dog on the holidays — in a healthy way

Dr. Jeun says the best holiday feast for a dog is whatever dog food they usually eat. While human foods like cheese or turkey skin are often the cause of an episode of pancreatitis, even a switch from one dog food to another can be problematic, Dr. Jeun says.

She recalls one Boxing Day she spent with a dog whose Christmas presents included a doggie turkey dinner in a can … that ended up coming with a side of pancreatitis.

Luckily, Dr. Jeun helped the dog make it through, and the story also lives on as a reminder that switching up the canine menu isn’t the gift we humans imagine it to be.

What do you do if your dog gets pancreatitis?

If your dog does get pancreatitis, what do you do? If your dog is panting, shaking, reluctant to eat, vomiting or experiencing diarrhea, don’t let anyone offer more table scraps or even dog food, and get your pooch to the veterinarian as soon as you can. The veterinarian can tell you if it’s pancreatitis or something else, and provide medications for vomiting and pain, plus intravenous fluids if necessary.

2. Watch the table, the turkey and the trash

Of course, the increase in pancreatitis cases over the holiday season isn’t just due to what we humans are feeding our dogs, but also what they feed themselves if given the chance, and they do have so many tempting chances at this time of year.

“We certainly see a lot of dietary indiscretion around the holidays,” says Dr. Jen Kasten, DVM, who serves as the Technical Services Veterinarian for Tomlyn Veterinary Science.

Sometimes it’s dogs raiding the garbage or “cleaning up” food dropped at the dinner table, she says. Other times, people will “carve their turkey and then walk away, and the dog thinks, ‘Oh, that’s a tasty snack up on the counter, let me go grab it,” Dr. Kasten explains, noting that in either case, the ingestion of bones can lead to medical emergencies, like a gastrointestinal obstruction (a blockage in the digestive tract).

If a bone is causing a blockage in a dog’s body, symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea and a lack of appetite. Sometimes, dogs experiencing gastrointestinal obstructions do require surgery to get the bone out. Last year Embrace Pet Insurance received $33,000 worth of claims due to dogs ingesting foreign bodies (including bones).

Blockages aren’t the only issues that getting into the turkey can lead to. Dietary indiscretion can cause gastroenteritis, which, like pancreatitis, can be life-threatening. Repeated vomiting or diarrhea can be symptoms of gastroenteritis or pancreatitis, or they can be the dog’s whole diagnosis. One loose stool isn’t a big deal, but prolonged diarrhea or vomiting can lead to deadly dehydration, so it’s best to take your pup to the vet quickly.

How to keep your dog away from toxic or potentially unhealthy food

If you know your pooch likely can’t resist the temptation of a carved turkey, keep him out of the kitchen or away from the dining room while the bird is on the platter. A dog gate might be your best bet if your thresholds allow for one. If you’ve got a more open floor plan, you may want to put your pooch in another room or have adult family members take turns watching him closely and keeping him entertained.

Similarly, make sure gifts containing food (like boxes of fancy chocolates) aren’t wrapped and placed under the tree or left in stockings. Store them someplace high and out of your dog’s reach until Christmas morning, and don’t leave them out after unwrapping.

What do you do if your dog eats something he shouldn’t?

If your dog does sneak into something he wasn’t supposed to, don’t panic. Call your vet or the closest emergency vet to find out what action you need to take and if you should take him in. If you’re not familiar with emergency veterinarian services in your area, take a minute before the holidays to learn the on-call number and the location and put it on an easily accessible place, like your refrigerator. You can also call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center phone number at 888-426-4435 (a consultation fee may be charged).

3. Avoid gifting bones

Avoid gifting bones this holiday season. Photography ©Redphotographer | Getty Image.

Both Dr. Kasten and Dr. Jeun say it’s not just the bones in the garbage bag, but bones in gift bags, too, that dog lovers should be mindful of. The vets suggest humans avoid giving bones as gifts to their dog, or loved ones’ dogs, as sometimes the 5-dollar bone or antler Aunt Sarah left under the tree for Spot can lead to cracked teeth and a big dental bill (and of course can cause those blockages mentioned earlier).

Dr. Jeun suggests, for young dogs, a pair of winter booties they can be trained to wear in the snow might be a better gift and that a soft new dog bed is always jolly good for dogs of any age.

When to head to the vet

If you see the following behaviors in your pup, it’s time to head to the vet. The first sign of a cracked tooth is often a yelp or cry when your dog is busy with his bone. You might see some bleeding, too. If you don’t notice these signs right away, your dog might start avoiding his food or chewing with only one side of his mouth. Depending on the severity of the crack, you may be referred to a veterinary dentist.

4. Deal with stress

The holidays can be stressful for humans and, because they have even less control over the chaos then we do, this time of year can be even more trying for pets. Stress can lead to colitis (the most obvious symptom of which is diarrhea), gastroenteritis (which also involves a lot of vomiting and diarrhea) and exacerbate other health issues, so taking steps to reduce interruptions to your dog’s routine should remain a top priority during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

Keep the walk routine as stable as the menu, and make sure your pup has a safe place to go if you’re going to be having guests in and out of the house. For dogs who need a little extra help chilling out, Dr. Kasten recommends dog treats with tryptophan and ginger.

Tips to reduce holiday stress in dogs

To reduce your dog’s holiday stress, start with reducing your own. According to Jill Breitner, author of the Dog Decoder Smartphone App, it’s not as much the addition of indoor trees and decorations that stress our dogs out at home during the holidays, but how the humans are feeling and how we’re interacting with each other.

“Any time there’s an environmental change, dogs will respond,” Jill tells Dogster. “But what happens over the holidays is, people are stressed.”

Being around humans who are arguing with each other can stress a dog out and even lead to physical symptoms. Behavioral changes in your dog can be the first sign that something’s wrong, even before vomiting or loose stools.

“Just hiding behind the couch and kind of peering out with some facial tension, with their ears back and down and panting might be a sign of pain,” Jill explains.

How to get your dog ready for company

If your dog does not do well with company, but you are planning to have people over, Jill suggests getting your pooch ready for the big day a couple days in advance by introducing him to the room he may stay in by himself during the festivities. She cautions against leaving a dog alone in a separate room if he’s not used to it (as that can actually cause stress) but says for some dogs who have had the opportunity to get accustomed to it, being away from a large family gathering in their own safe space is preferable.

Keep your dog engaged

Our dogs don’t need a wedge of brie to know that we love them, but they may need a little extra attention during the holidays, especially as our attention gets spread thin. Jill suggests making sure we exercise our dogs before any big holiday events (whether they’ll be attending or not).

What to do if you have to leave your dog home alone

If you’re going to have a late night at a holiday party, make sure your dog is going to be comfortable before you go. Set up an automatic feeder to serve his food, and if you think you’ll be getting home late, have a pet sitter or dog walker swing by to check on your pup.

How to handle boredom or depression in dogs

If your dog seems bored or depressed, it may be a sign that his routine has been sent out of whack by your holiday plans. Try to schedule as many walks and outings over the holidays as you do on any regular day to make sure that your dog gets the exercise and attention he’s used to.

Taking a stroll around the neighborhood to check out the light displays or bringing your dog outside to make a snowman are great ways to include your dog in holiday activities.

If your pup hasn’t had as much of your time as he normally would lately, consider a doggie date night and snuggle up on the couch in front of a festive film. Just don’t share the salted, buttered popcorn.

Top holiday health humbugs

What are some of the biggest insurance claims this time of year? Photography Terran Bayer | AnimalHaus Media.

Last December Embrace Pet Insurance saw:

$10,000 worth of claims for chocolate poisoning

$12,000 for gastroenteritis

$23,000 for vomiting and diarrhea

So look up and write down the information for the nearest emergency vet clinic, especially if you and your dog are away from home this holiday season. Also, don’t keep chocolate (especially the sugar-free kind with xylitol) where your pup can reach it. And remember, there is no wrapping paper stronger than a dog’s nose.

Thumbnail: Photography by Charlotte Reeves Photography.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Dogster magazine. Have you seen the new Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? Subscribe now to get Dogster magazine delivered straight to you!

About the author:

Heather Marcoux is a freelance writer who loves the holidays almost as much as she loves her dogs, GhostBuster and Marshmallow. They won’t be getting cheese this Christmas. You can see them pouting over that on Instagram, where they are known as @ghostpets.

Read more about the holidays and dogs:

Holidays and Dogs: Keep Your Pup Happy at Every Age

4 Dog-Friendly Holiday Recipes That Humans Can Eat, Too

How to Stop Diarrhea in Dogs This Holiday Season

The post Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes

The post Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

The holidays are a time of celebration, enthusiastic gift giving and (if we’re being honest) overindulgence for many humans. And because we love our dogs, it’s totally natural to want to include them in our festivities, but making too merry can make a dog sick.

According to Embrace Pet Insurance, the holidays coincide with an annual increase of claims for pancreatitis, gastroenteritis and intoxication, just to name a few. If you want your dog to be in good shape for the New Year, keep your holiday celebration canine-friendly by following these tips and fixes.

1. Don’t share human holiday treats with your dog

Don’t feed your dog from the table — and make sure he can’t help himself, either! Photography ©Terran Bayer | AnimalHaus Media.

Flames dancing in the hearth may put you in the holiday spirit, but an inflamed pancreas, also known as pancreatitis, will put your dog in pain and danger.

Symptoms include decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting and lethargy. The really sad part is, humans are a major cause of pancreatitis around the holidays.

“Everybody wants to make their dog happy at the holidays and so they want to feed them something and, oftentimes, it comes from the dinner table. It’s too rich, and it gives them an upset tummy or pancreatitis sometimes,” explains Dr. Gwen Jeun, the current president of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association.

How to indulge your dog on the holidays — in a healthy way

Dr. Jeun says the best holiday feast for a dog is whatever dog food they usually eat. While human foods like cheese or turkey skin are often the cause of an episode of pancreatitis, even a switch from one dog food to another can be problematic, Dr. Jeun says.

She recalls one Boxing Day she spent with a dog whose Christmas presents included a doggie turkey dinner in a can … that ended up coming with a side of pancreatitis.

Luckily, Dr. Jeun helped the dog make it through, and the story also lives on as a reminder that switching up the canine menu isn’t the gift we humans imagine it to be.

What do you do if your dog gets pancreatitis?

If your dog does get pancreatitis, what do you do? If your dog is panting, shaking, reluctant to eat, vomiting or experiencing diarrhea, don’t let anyone offer more table scraps or even dog food, and get your pooch to the veterinarian as soon as you can. The veterinarian can tell you if it’s pancreatitis or something else, and provide medications for vomiting and pain, plus intravenous fluids if necessary.

2. Watch the table, the turkey and the trash

Of course, the increase in pancreatitis cases over the holiday season isn’t just due to what we humans are feeding our dogs, but also what they feed themselves if given the chance, and they do have so many tempting chances at this time of year.

“We certainly see a lot of dietary indiscretion around the holidays,” says Dr. Jen Kasten, DVM, who serves as the Technical Services Veterinarian for Tomlyn Veterinary Science.

Sometimes it’s dogs raiding the garbage or “cleaning up” food dropped at the dinner table, she says. Other times, people will “carve their turkey and then walk away, and the dog thinks, ‘Oh, that’s a tasty snack up on the counter, let me go grab it,” Dr. Kasten explains, noting that in either case, the ingestion of bones can lead to medical emergencies, like a gastrointestinal obstruction (a blockage in the digestive tract).

If a bone is causing a blockage in a dog’s body, symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea and a lack of appetite. Sometimes, dogs experiencing gastrointestinal obstructions do require surgery to get the bone out. Last year Embrace Pet Insurance received $33,000 worth of claims due to dogs ingesting foreign bodies (including bones).

Blockages aren’t the only issues that getting into the turkey can lead to. Dietary indiscretion can cause gastroenteritis, which, like pancreatitis, can be life-threatening. Repeated vomiting or diarrhea can be symptoms of gastroenteritis or pancreatitis, or they can be the dog’s whole diagnosis. One loose stool isn’t a big deal, but prolonged diarrhea or vomiting can lead to deadly dehydration, so it’s best to take your pup to the vet quickly.

How to keep your dog away from toxic or potentially unhealthy food

If you know your pooch likely can’t resist the temptation of a carved turkey, keep him out of the kitchen or away from the dining room while the bird is on the platter. A dog gate might be your best bet if your thresholds allow for one. If you’ve got a more open floor plan, you may want to put your pooch in another room or have adult family members take turns watching him closely and keeping him entertained.

Similarly, make sure gifts containing food (like boxes of fancy chocolates) aren’t wrapped and placed under the tree or left in stockings. Store them someplace high and out of your dog’s reach until Christmas morning, and don’t leave them out after unwrapping.

What do you do if your dog eats something he shouldn’t?

If your dog does sneak into something he wasn’t supposed to, don’t panic. Call your vet or the closest emergency vet to find out what action you need to take and if you should take him in. If you’re not familiar with emergency veterinarian services in your area, take a minute before the holidays to learn the on-call number and the location and put it on an easily accessible place, like your refrigerator. You can also call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center phone number at 888-426-4435 (a consultation fee may be charged).

3. Avoid gifting bones

Avoid gifting bones this holiday season. Photography ©Redphotographer | Getty Image.

Both Dr. Kasten and Dr. Jeun say it’s not just the bones in the garbage bag, but bones in gift bags, too, that dog lovers should be mindful of. The vets suggest humans avoid giving bones as gifts to their dog, or loved ones’ dogs, as sometimes the 5-dollar bone or antler Aunt Sarah left under the tree for Spot can lead to cracked teeth and a big dental bill (and of course can cause those blockages mentioned earlier).

Dr. Jeun suggests, for young dogs, a pair of winter booties they can be trained to wear in the snow might be a better gift and that a soft new dog bed is always jolly good for dogs of any age.

When to head to the vet

If you see the following behaviors in your pup, it’s time to head to the vet. The first sign of a cracked tooth is often a yelp or cry when your dog is busy with his bone. You might see some bleeding, too. If you don’t notice these signs right away, your dog might start avoiding his food or chewing with only one side of his mouth. Depending on the severity of the crack, you may be referred to a veterinary dentist.

4. Deal with stress

The holidays can be stressful for humans and, because they have even less control over the chaos then we do, this time of year can be even more trying for pets. Stress can lead to colitis (the most obvious symptom of which is diarrhea), gastroenteritis (which also involves a lot of vomiting and diarrhea) and exacerbate other health issues, so taking steps to reduce interruptions to your dog’s routine should remain a top priority during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

Keep the walk routine as stable as the menu, and make sure your pup has a safe place to go if you’re going to be having guests in and out of the house. For dogs who need a little extra help chilling out, Dr. Kasten recommends dog treats with tryptophan and ginger.

Tips to reduce holiday stress in dogs

To reduce your dog’s holiday stress, start with reducing your own. According to Jill Breitner, author of the Dog Decoder Smartphone App, it’s not as much the addition of indoor trees and decorations that stress our dogs out at home during the holidays, but how the humans are feeling and how we’re interacting with each other.

“Any time there’s an environmental change, dogs will respond,” Jill tells Dogster. “But what happens over the holidays is, people are stressed.”

Being around humans who are arguing with each other can stress a dog out and even lead to physical symptoms. Behavioral changes in your dog can be the first sign that something’s wrong, even before vomiting or loose stools.

“Just hiding behind the couch and kind of peering out with some facial tension, with their ears back and down and panting might be a sign of pain,” Jill explains.

How to get your dog ready for company

If your dog does not do well with company, but you are planning to have people over, Jill suggests getting your pooch ready for the big day a couple days in advance by introducing him to the room he may stay in by himself during the festivities. She cautions against leaving a dog alone in a separate room if he’s not used to it (as that can actually cause stress) but says for some dogs who have had the opportunity to get accustomed to it, being away from a large family gathering in their own safe space is preferable.

Keep your dog engaged

Our dogs don’t need a wedge of brie to know that we love them, but they may need a little extra attention during the holidays, especially as our attention gets spread thin. Jill suggests making sure we exercise our dogs before any big holiday events (whether they’ll be attending or not).

What to do if you have to leave your dog home alone

If you’re going to have a late night at a holiday party, make sure your dog is going to be comfortable before you go. Set up an automatic feeder to serve his food, and if you think you’ll be getting home late, have a pet sitter or dog walker swing by to check on your pup.

How to handle boredom or depression in dogs

If your dog seems bored or depressed, it may be a sign that his routine has been sent out of whack by your holiday plans. Try to schedule as many walks and outings over the holidays as you do on any regular day to make sure that your dog gets the exercise and attention he’s used to.

Taking a stroll around the neighborhood to check out the light displays or bringing your dog outside to make a snowman are great ways to include your dog in holiday activities.

If your pup hasn’t had as much of your time as he normally would lately, consider a doggie date night and snuggle up on the couch in front of a festive film. Just don’t share the salted, buttered popcorn.

Top holiday health humbugs

What are some of the biggest insurance claims this time of year? Photography Terran Bayer | AnimalHaus Media.

Last December Embrace Pet Insurance saw:

$10,000 worth of claims for chocolate poisoning

$12,000 for gastroenteritis

$23,000 for vomiting and diarrhea

So look up and write down the information for the nearest emergency vet clinic, especially if you and your dog are away from home this holiday season. Also, don’t keep chocolate (especially the sugar-free kind with xylitol) where your pup can reach it. And remember, there is no wrapping paper stronger than a dog’s nose.

Thumbnail: Photography by Charlotte Reeves Photography.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Dogster magazine. Have you seen the new Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? Subscribe now to get Dogster magazine delivered straight to you!

About the author:

Heather Marcoux is a freelance writer who loves the holidays almost as much as she loves her dogs, GhostBuster and Marshmallow. They won’t be getting cheese this Christmas. You can see them pouting over that on Instagram, where they are known as @ghostpets.

Read more about the holidays and dogs:

Holidays and Dogs: Keep Your Pup Happy at Every Age

4 Dog-Friendly Holiday Recipes That Humans Can Eat, Too

How to Stop Diarrhea in Dogs This Holiday Season

The post Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes

The post Holiday Health Issues for Dogs — Know the Dangers and Fixes by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

The holidays are a time of celebration, enthusiastic gift giving and (if we’re being honest) overindulgence for many humans. And because we love our dogs, it’s totally natural to want to include them in our festivities, but making too merry can make a dog sick.

According to Embrace Pet Insurance, the holidays coincide with an annual increase of claims for pancreatitis, gastroenteritis and intoxication, just to name a few. If you want your dog to be in good shape for the New Year, keep your holiday celebration canine-friendly by following these tips and fixes.

1. Don’t share human holiday treats with your dog

Don’t feed your dog from the table — and make sure he can’t help himself, either! Photography ©Terran Bayer | AnimalHaus Media.

Flames dancing in the hearth may put you in the holiday spirit, but an inflamed pancreas, also known as pancreatitis, will put your dog in pain and danger.

Symptoms include decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting and lethargy. The really sad part is, humans are a major cause of pancreatitis around the holidays.

“Everybody wants to make their dog happy at the holidays and so they want to feed them something and, oftentimes, it comes from the dinner table. It’s too rich, and it gives them an upset tummy or pancreatitis sometimes,” explains Dr. Gwen Jeun, the current president of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association.

How to indulge your dog on the holidays — in a healthy way

Dr. Jeun says the best holiday feast for a dog is whatever dog food they usually eat. While human foods like cheese or turkey skin are often the cause of an episode of pancreatitis, even a switch from one dog food to another can be problematic, Dr. Jeun says.

She recalls one Boxing Day she spent with a dog whose Christmas presents included a doggie turkey dinner in a can … that ended up coming with a side of pancreatitis.

Luckily, Dr. Jeun helped the dog make it through, and the story also lives on as a reminder that switching up the canine menu isn’t the gift we humans imagine it to be.

What do you do if your dog gets pancreatitis?

If your dog does get pancreatitis, what do you do? If your dog is panting, shaking, reluctant to eat, vomiting or experiencing diarrhea, don’t let anyone offer more table scraps or even dog food, and get your pooch to the veterinarian as soon as you can. The veterinarian can tell you if it’s pancreatitis or something else, and provide medications for vomiting and pain, plus intravenous fluids if necessary.

2. Watch the table, the turkey and the trash

Of course, the increase in pancreatitis cases over the holiday season isn’t just due to what we humans are feeding our dogs, but also what they feed themselves if given the chance, and they do have so many tempting chances at this time of year.

“We certainly see a lot of dietary indiscretion around the holidays,” says Dr. Jen Kasten, DVM, who serves as the Technical Services Veterinarian for Tomlyn Veterinary Science.

Sometimes it’s dogs raiding the garbage or “cleaning up” food dropped at the dinner table, she says. Other times, people will “carve their turkey and then walk away, and the dog thinks, ‘Oh, that’s a tasty snack up on the counter, let me go grab it,” Dr. Kasten explains, noting that in either case, the ingestion of bones can lead to medical emergencies, like a gastrointestinal obstruction (a blockage in the digestive tract).

If a bone is causing a blockage in a dog’s body, symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea and a lack of appetite. Sometimes, dogs experiencing gastrointestinal obstructions do require surgery to get the bone out. Last year Embrace Pet Insurance received $33,000 worth of claims due to dogs ingesting foreign bodies (including bones).

Blockages aren’t the only issues that getting into the turkey can lead to. Dietary indiscretion can cause gastroenteritis, which, like pancreatitis, can be life-threatening. Repeated vomiting or diarrhea can be symptoms of gastroenteritis or pancreatitis, or they can be the dog’s whole diagnosis. One loose stool isn’t a big deal, but prolonged diarrhea or vomiting can lead to deadly dehydration, so it’s best to take your pup to the vet quickly.

How to keep your dog away from toxic or potentially unhealthy food

If you know your pooch likely can’t resist the temptation of a carved turkey, keep him out of the kitchen or away from the dining room while the bird is on the platter. A dog gate might be your best bet if your thresholds allow for one. If you’ve got a more open floor plan, you may want to put your pooch in another room or have adult family members take turns watching him closely and keeping him entertained.

Similarly, make sure gifts containing food (like boxes of fancy chocolates) aren’t wrapped and placed under the tree or left in stockings. Store them someplace high and out of your dog’s reach until Christmas morning, and don’t leave them out after unwrapping.

What do you do if your dog eats something he shouldn’t?

If your dog does sneak into something he wasn’t supposed to, don’t panic. Call your vet or the closest emergency vet to find out what action you need to take and if you should take him in. If you’re not familiar with emergency veterinarian services in your area, take a minute before the holidays to learn the on-call number and the location and put it on an easily accessible place, like your refrigerator. You can also call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center phone number at 888-426-4435 (a consultation fee may be charged).

3. Avoid gifting bones

Avoid gifting bones this holiday season. Photography ©Redphotographer | Getty Image.

Both Dr. Kasten and Dr. Jeun say it’s not just the bones in the garbage bag, but bones in gift bags, too, that dog lovers should be mindful of. The vets suggest humans avoid giving bones as gifts to their dog, or loved ones’ dogs, as sometimes the 5-dollar bone or antler Aunt Sarah left under the tree for Spot can lead to cracked teeth and a big dental bill (and of course can cause those blockages mentioned earlier).

Dr. Jeun suggests, for young dogs, a pair of winter booties they can be trained to wear in the snow might be a better gift and that a soft new dog bed is always jolly good for dogs of any age.

When to head to the vet

If you see the following behaviors in your pup, it’s time to head to the vet. The first sign of a cracked tooth is often a yelp or cry when your dog is busy with his bone. You might see some bleeding, too. If you don’t notice these signs right away, your dog might start avoiding his food or chewing with only one side of his mouth. Depending on the severity of the crack, you may be referred to a veterinary dentist.

4. Deal with stress

The holidays can be stressful for humans and, because they have even less control over the chaos then we do, this time of year can be even more trying for pets. Stress can lead to colitis (the most obvious symptom of which is diarrhea), gastroenteritis (which also involves a lot of vomiting and diarrhea) and exacerbate other health issues, so taking steps to reduce interruptions to your dog’s routine should remain a top priority during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

Keep the walk routine as stable as the menu, and make sure your pup has a safe place to go if you’re going to be having guests in and out of the house. For dogs who need a little extra help chilling out, Dr. Kasten recommends dog treats with tryptophan and ginger.

Tips to reduce holiday stress in dogs

To reduce your dog’s holiday stress, start with reducing your own. According to Jill Breitner, author of the Dog Decoder Smartphone App, it’s not as much the addition of indoor trees and decorations that stress our dogs out at home during the holidays, but how the humans are feeling and how we’re interacting with each other.

“Any time there’s an environmental change, dogs will respond,” Jill tells Dogster. “But what happens over the holidays is, people are stressed.”

Being around humans who are arguing with each other can stress a dog out and even lead to physical symptoms. Behavioral changes in your dog can be the first sign that something’s wrong, even before vomiting or loose stools.

“Just hiding behind the couch and kind of peering out with some facial tension, with their ears back and down and panting might be a sign of pain,” Jill explains.

How to get your dog ready for company

If your dog does not do well with company, but you are planning to have people over, Jill suggests getting your pooch ready for the big day a couple days in advance by introducing him to the room he may stay in by himself during the festivities. She cautions against leaving a dog alone in a separate room if he’s not used to it (as that can actually cause stress) but says for some dogs who have had the opportunity to get accustomed to it, being away from a large family gathering in their own safe space is preferable.

Keep your dog engaged

Our dogs don’t need a wedge of brie to know that we love them, but they may need a little extra attention during the holidays, especially as our attention gets spread thin. Jill suggests making sure we exercise our dogs before any big holiday events (whether they’ll be attending or not).

What to do if you have to leave your dog home alone

If you’re going to have a late night at a holiday party, make sure your dog is going to be comfortable before you go. Set up an automatic feeder to serve his food, and if you think you’ll be getting home late, have a pet sitter or dog walker swing by to check on your pup.

How to handle boredom or depression in dogs

If your dog seems bored or depressed, it may be a sign that his routine has been sent out of whack by your holiday plans. Try to schedule as many walks and outings over the holidays as you do on any regular day to make sure that your dog gets the exercise and attention he’s used to.

Taking a stroll around the neighborhood to check out the light displays or bringing your dog outside to make a snowman are great ways to include your dog in holiday activities.

If your pup hasn’t had as much of your time as he normally would lately, consider a doggie date night and snuggle up on the couch in front of a festive film. Just don’t share the salted, buttered popcorn.

Top holiday health humbugs

What are some of the biggest insurance claims this time of year? Photography Terran Bayer | AnimalHaus Media.

Last December Embrace Pet Insurance saw:

$10,000 worth of claims for chocolate poisoning

$12,000 for gastroenteritis

$23,000 for vomiting and diarrhea

So look up and write down the information for the nearest emergency vet clinic, especially if you and your dog are away from home this holiday season. Also, don’t keep chocolate (especially the sugar-free kind with xylitol) where your pup can reach it. And remember, there is no wrapping paper stronger than a dog’s nose.

Thumbnail: Photography by Charlotte Reeves Photography.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Dogster magazine. Have you seen the new Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? Subscribe now to get Dogster magazine delivered straight to you!

About the author:

Heather Marcoux is a freelance writer who loves the holidays almost as much as she loves her dogs, GhostBuster and Marshmallow. They won’t be getting cheese this Christmas. You can see them pouting over that on Instagram, where they are known as @ghostpets.

Read more about the holidays and dogs:

Holidays and Dogs: Keep Your Pup Happy at Every Age

4 Dog-Friendly Holiday Recipes That Humans Can Eat, Too

How to Stop Diarrhea in Dogs This Holiday Season

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