One Christmas Eve many years ago, I decided to kill some time before heading over to a family gathering by cutting the nails on all my dogs. (Yes, I know it's odd, but I'll say in my own defense that the presents were already wrapped and I had nothing else to do.)

Somehow I managed to cut so deeply into one nail that I could not stop the bleeding. So instead of opening presents, I found myself opening my checkbook at the emergency clinic, along with a handful of other pet lovers with timing or luck just as bad as my own. Among them I remember a puppy with parvo, an ancient cat with breathing problems and a dog with ... tapeworms.

The last was hardly an emergency, but the pet's owner didn't know that. She'd seen something come out of her dog that she was convinced was a part of his intestine. The veterinary technician was kind enough to set her straight without charge and with instructions to visit her regular veterinarian after the holidays.

While it might be tempting to snicker at a person who didn't recognize a tapeworm, she was truly doing her pet a service. She thought something was wrong and didn't wait to find out what it was. That's much better than those people who wait to get sick animals treated, even when their pets are clearly in pain.

But how do you know when a situation is critical enough to find a veterinarian immediately? Anything is worth at least a call if you're not sure what's wrong, but some things require urgent attention. Here are some signs that should have you heading for your veterinarian's or for the emergency clinic:

-- Seizure, fainting or collapse.

-- Eye injury, no matter how mild.

-- Vomiting or diarrhea -- anything more than two or three times within an hour or so.

-- Allergic reactions, such as swelling around the face, or hives, most easily seen on the belly.

-- Any suspected poisoning, including antifreeze, rodent or snail bait or human medication. Cats are especially sensitive to insecticides (such as flea-control medication for dogs) or any petroleum-based product.

-- Snake or venomous spider bites.

-- Thermal stress -- from being either too cold or too hot -- even if the pet seems to have recovered. (The internal story could be quite different.)

-- Any wound or laceration that's open and bleeding, or any animal bite.

-- Trauma, such as being hit by a car, even if the pet seems fine. (Again, the situation could be quite different on the inside.)

-- Any respiratory problem: chronic coughing, trouble breathing or near drowning.

-- Straining to urinate or defecate.

Although some other problems aren't life threatening, they may be causing your pet pain and should be taken care of without delay. Signs of pain include panting, labored breathing, increased body temperature, lethargy, restlessness, crying out, aggression and loss of appetite. Some pets seek company when suffering, while others will withdraw.

When in doubt, err on the side of caution, always. Better to be dead wrong about a minor medical problem than to have a pet who's dead because you guessed wrong about a major one. Call your veterinary clinic or hospital before you need help and ask what arrangements the staff suggests for emergency or after-hours care. If your veterinarian refers clients to an emergency clinic after regular business hours, be sure you know which clinic, what the phone number is and how to get there.

I got lucky that Christmas Eve with a fast and relatively inexpensive resolution to my pet's emergency, but I'm always aware that next time I might not be so fortunate. Which is why I know whom to call and where to go whenever I need help for my pets. And also why I also have resolved never to clip nails on a holiday again.

PETS ON THE WEB

The Dog Boot Company (www.dogbootcompany.com) is all about keeping canine paws warm, clean and dry through all kinds of weather, with a collection of hard-wearing footwear for dogs of all sizes. Paw protection is not cheap -- four of the short boots will set you back $30, before shipping and handling -- but if you live in a place where snow and slush are part of walking the dog, boots might end up saving you some clean-up time in the house, as well as increased comfort for your dog. The company says the taller boots will stand up to field conditions as well, protecting the legs of hunting dogs from brambles and thorns.

THE SCOOP

Another idea to keep cats out of houseplants comes from reader Sharon Richardson. "During the 40 years my husband and I have been married, we have almost always been owned by a cat or two or more," she writes: "One of my best ideas has been to 'plant' faux greenery under the real plants where cats want to dig. Under a large split leaf philodendron I planted three curly Boston ferns by just sticking them in the soil. You would be surprised how good they look, certainly better than foil and such. The plastic greenery can be pulled out occasionally to be dusted by dunking them in a sinkful of water and dish detergent. Craft stores have a good assortment of plants that will work."

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I have a question about my dachshund. Her left eye tends to become very dry and will secrete a greenish fluid. My vet gave me an ointment to moisten her eye, but she hates having it put in so much that I think it might sting. My question is: Can I use any of the human, over-the-counter drops for her eyes? -- S.V., via e-mail

A: Whenever a medication your veterinarian gives you doesn't do the trick for any reason, you need to go back for further assistance. Every day I hear from people whose pets are still living with problems that would be treatable if their owners had pursued follow-up care. A medication may need to be stronger, given longer or may need to be changed, decisions that can be made only by a veterinarian.

Since those of use who are not veterinarians are often way off the mark when it comes to a proper diagnosis, I advise that over-the-counter remedies be purchased and used only as part of treatment program recommended by your veterinarian. If you don't know what you're treating, an over-the-counter remedy could be a waste of money, and could possibly do more harm than good.

Q: My wife recently returned after visiting the home of some friends. While there, she evidently picked up some fleas from their dog. We killed one and identified it from pictures. How do we inform the family that their home and dog are infested with fleas? -- G.P., via e-mail

A: This seems more like an etiquette question than a pet question, but I'll blunder ahead anyway. If you think they'll take the news in the helpful spirit in which you offer it, then be frank with them. If you think it would harm the friendship, think up reasons for them to visit in your home -- and leave their dog behind. For the good of their suffering dog, though, I hope you can be honest with them. I used to get questions like yours all the time, along with hundreds of other flea-related pieces of mail. But these days, I don't get many flea questions, thanks to the topical monthly flea-control medications Frontline and Advantage.

The bad old days I do not miss, either as a pet columnist or as a pet keeper. I used to dip my poor dogs in products so vile that they gave me asthma, and were barely effective at keeping the parasites in check. And my own mother, who's very sensitive to flea bites, would neither visit my home nor allow my dogs in hers.

Since the new generation of flea-control remedies came out a few years back, I haven't seen a flea on any of my pets, even when I lived for a few months in Florida, where the warm, moist climate is flea paradise and my dogs swam every day. The new medications stood up to this most difficult of tests.

My mother feels safe in visiting my home these days -- the only danger now is dog kisses. I hope your friends will also catch on to modern flea-control so your wife will be comfortable visiting in their home again and their dog will be spared the misery of the constant torment of these tiny pests.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

I am no fan of Christmas, to the bemusement of my friends and family, who consider my attitude some strange personality quirk. I neither give gifts nor accept them -- aside from an exception I make for my young niece and nephew. And I do my best to avoid malls and other places where the trappings of Christmas are on display from Halloween on.

Christmas is too much stress, too much hustle, too much spending, and I prefer to avoid the January hangover by not imbibing in the season at all. Now that you know how I feel about Christmas, you can imagine how I feel about the idea of giving children a puppy for Christmas. I simply cannot recommend it, and in this aspect of "bah humbug" I am not alone.

Despite the warnings from experts, every year parents give in to the begging of their children and pop for a Christmas puppy. The attraction is understandable: Who doesn't love a puppy, and who wouldn't want to delight a child? But there are reasons why shelters, rescue groups and responsible breeders are uniform in their advice to think twice about a Christmas puppy.

Puppies are not toys. They are living, breathing (not to mention eating and urinating) beings who need a lot of attention. Who has time for a pup during the holidays? With a houseful of guests and a holiday dinner to prepare, who will make sure the puppy isn't being mauled by overly enthusiastic children and guests? Who has time to get his house-training started right?

Let's back up a little and look at another Christmas reality. Many reputable breeders and shelters flat-out won't cooperate with holiday puppy dreams. The sellers who have puppies for Christmas delivery are often motivated by money. Such breeders are less likely to cut into profits with pesky screening for genetic diseases and are less likely to know or care about the importance of early socialization. These attitudes may cost you in the long run, both in dollars and heartbreak.

But say you find the right puppy anyway. It's still a bad time to get a puppy. Try house-training a puppy when it's cold and stormy. Are you really so keen on the idea that you want to be out on winter nights, shivering while a puppy carefully contemplates whether he'd rather sniff or pee?

What about the rest of the training? The first few months of a dog's life are crucial. Bad habits are far easier to prevent than they are to break later. Will you really feel like training your pup when the holidays are over, the days are short and the kids are back in school? And how will you socialize your young dog?

Dogs who grow up unmannered, unsocialized and without house-training often never get a chance to grow up much at all. In the months after Christmas, I get many letters from people who are tearing out their hair over their now-adolescent Christmas puppy. Some people work with the dogs, but many just dump them. You want to find a Christmas puppy? Just check with shelters and rescue groups this summer and fall. You'll find plenty of them, half-grown and waiting for the second chance many will never get.

Dogs can be great for children, and children can be great with dogs. But Christmas is not the best time to launch such a promising relationship. Somebody has to be the grown-up here, and if you're the parent, it should be you. Wait until late spring or early summer to find the perfect pup (or an adult dog, which is a better match for many families), so you can get your new pet off to a great start.

PETS ON THE WEB

"Iguanas for Dummies" author Melissa Kaplan says these

pets are "the No. 1 dumped reptile in the United States and, increasingly, around the world." Further, she notes, the ones who aren't dumped often wind up dead. The problem? Few looking for a "cool pet" are willing to meet the expensive and time-consuming care requirements of the commonly available green iguana. If you're thinking about getting one of these pets, the best thing to do is read, read, read to find out if you have what it takes to care for one. Kaplan's book is a great start, and so is her iguana information Web site (www.anapsid.org/iguana). The site contains hundred of useful articles about the care of these interesting pets.

THE SCOOP

The United Kingdom is finally opening the door to pets from the United States and Canada. Starting Dec. 11, dogs and cats with valid rabies vaccinations and permanent microchip identification will no longer face a six-month quarantine. This is great news for people whose jobs or personal lives require relocation to Britain, a move that previously meant either finding a home for pets before leaving or putting them in miserable confinement for months on arrival. The change is the result of a long campaign by some big-name pet lovers, including celebrity jet-setters such as actress and model Liz Hurley, who complained at not being able to take her pets with her when traveling.

Pet lovers can now hope that Hawaii, which still insists on 30- or 120-day quarantines, will follow the U.K.'s lead and let science, not fear, guide the laws in this area.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: My mother read one of your columns recently where you described some sort of device or product that was used to keep cats within a certain yard area. Unfortunately, not being a cat person, my mom can't seem to recall any details other than that. Does it ring a bell? I'm moving soon and am concerned about keeping my three cats near the house to avoid seemingly inevitable encounters with cars and other animals. -- A.R., via e-mail

A: Cat fencing works on the principle that cats can't stand unsteady material under their paws. Using loose netting with lots of "give" convinces cats that they're better leaving the fence alone and staying put. The main ingredient of cat fencing is 1-by-1-inch garden mesh, a polypropylene net product available at nurseries, hardware stores or by mail. On a low fence, such as a 4-foot chain-link, 7-foot poles are used to rig the net high enough to thwart any jumping. On 6-foot wooden privacy fences, flagpole-mounting hardware keeps the net screen at an angle, low and out of sight. Fishing line is used liberally between poles as the top "frame" for the netting.

The feral cat advocacy group Alley Cat Allies says cats will usually spend a couple of weeks trying to figure a way out before deciding there's no place like home. Although many cats can and do live healthy and happy lives indoors, if your pets are among those who won't give up the outdoors, cat fencing is certainly worthy of consideration. I'm for anything that keeps cats safe and neighbors happy. Remember, though, that the fencing likely won't deter any predators -- such as coyotes -- who consider a well-fed cat to be an easy meal.

Complete instructions, including sources for the netting and other materials, are on the Web at www.feralcat.com/fence.html.

Q: I would like to take my dog to dog parks, but she is aggressive to other dogs. Ginger can't even walk past the park without showing signs of aggression. If she sees another dog when we're walking she will bark and growl. All other times she is as docile as a lamb. What can we do so we can all go on walks and to the dog park without having a problem? -- E.L., via e-mail

A: A couple of months ago I got a letter and a photo from a reader whose dog had been ripped open in a dog park by a dog with known aggressive tendencies. The victim lived, but the incident was horrifying and expensive. (The people with the aggressive dog disappeared, never even offering to help with the veterinary bills.)

The picture was stomach-turning to view, a post-surgical snapshot of a dog who clearly was suffering, with more stitches than Frankenstein had needed to close numerous gaping wounds.

All of which is my not-so-subtle way of saying: If you know your dog is aggressive toward other dogs, you should not bring her into an off-leash dog park. By working with a trainer, you can gain some control over her while you're walking, and may even be able to take the edge off the worst signs of her aggression. But I do not believe she will ever be trustworthy enough to take a chance on her in a dog park. The risk of injury is just too high.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

Every year at this time I offer a list of the most common holiday hazards for pets: feeding problems, foreign-body ingestion and accidental poisoning.

The bad news is that many pets will end up at the veterinarian's office this holiday season. The good news is that yours won't be among them if you keep an eye out for these potential disasters:

-- Feeding problems. How can you not slip your pet a little something special, a big piece of turkey skin, a handful of chips with dip, some slices of salami? Resist, or your pet could be spending his holiday at the emergency veterinary clinic.

Foods too rich, too fatty or too spicy -- or anything your pet is not accustomed to -- can trigger a bout of intestinal upset. For some animals, the treat can trigger a serious inflammation of the pancreas or intestines, and that means a life-threatening medical emergency.

What to avoid? Anything you wouldn't eat your pet should avoid, too. While a little bit of meat -- beef or poultry -- won't hurt and would be appreciated, steer clear of the fatty parts and the poultry skin, which also harbors fat. No one's saying your pet shouldn't enjoy a special holiday meal, too, but limiting the kind and amount of special food will ensure that it is a treat -- not a trouble.

-- Foreign-body ingestion. Poultry bones may seem like the perfect gift for the pet who has everything, but do him a favor and save them for the soup. (Broth is a wonderful treat poured over your pet's regular food.) Even the largest cooked turkey bones are prone to splintering, sending shards through the animal's intestines. The result can be deadly peritonitis.

While cooked poultry bones are out, some beef bones can be safely substituted. Knuckle bones (for large dogs) and oxtails (for small ones) stand up to vigorous gnawing, providing your pet with hours of messy fun. Check at your meat counter for these inexpensive treats. Supervise your dog's chewing, and throw them out after a few hours of attention, or if they get broken into pieces that can be swallowed.

Some dogs prefer to eat bones rather than just chew on them. And if you have one of those dogs, keep an eye out to make sure the bones aren't causing internal problems. A pulverized bone can solidify like concrete in an animal's lower intestine, causing constipation and, occasionally, blockage that must be removed by a veterinarian.

The Christmas tree is also full of hazards for dogs and cats. Tinsel can be an appealing target for play, but if ingested, it can twist up the intestines. This is a particular danger to cats and kittens, who seem to find tinsel -- along with yarn, ribbon and string -- especially appealing to eat.

Ornaments, too, are deadly in the mouths and stomachs of pets, and even the water at the base of the tree contains secretions that can, at the very least, cause a stomachache. Light strings are no good for chewing, and the whole tree can come down on the cat that climbs in its branches. The best way to handle the situation is by making the tree off-limits to your pets unless you're there to watch and keep them out of trouble.

-- Poisonings. Holiday plants such as mistletoe may look intriguing to your pet, but they're also toxic, as are the bulbs of the amaryllis plant. (Long the poster child for holiday poisoning, the falsely maligned poinsettia can be safely welcomed into the pet lover's home.) And before you share your holiday candy with your pet, be aware that chocolate is toxic to dogs, and may be deadly to the little dog who gets a good-sized piece. Again, the best cure is prevention. Keep all dangerous plants out of the reach of your pets, and keep the candy dish available to people only.

It doesn't take much to keep your pet out of trouble this holiday season, if you use just a little common sense. Instead of seeing your veterinarian in person with a sick pet in tow, send a card!

PETS ON THE WEB

The folks behind the Daily Drool (www.dailydrool.com) love basset hounds, and want to share their admiration of the breed with other like-minded people. The well-designed Web site offers everything you could want in the way of information about bassets, along with plenty of entertaining diversions such as e-cards, images and more.

What's the best way to get a basset hound into a vehicle? With a ramp, says the Drool, which offers downloadable directions on how to make one. A definite labor of love, the Web site supports itself and basset rescue through donations and by the proceeds of steering people toward Drool-endorsed books and other products. Either way, it's a good site to support, and a good cause, too.

THE SCOOP

Winterizing your car or truck? Make sure when you're taking care of your vehicle that you're also watching out for your pet. The worry? Coolant made from ethylene glycol, a sweet-tasting liquid that can be lethal to your pet in dosages as small as a teaspoon or less. Safer alternatives exist to ethylene glycol, such as coolant made from propylene glycol. No matter what you use, though, be sure to clean up any spills promptly and thoroughly, and keep any stored product in leak-proof containers in a closed cupboard. If your pet laps even the smallest amount of coolant, see your veterinarian immediately. Your pet's only shot at survival is prompt treatment, since it takes barely a sip to kill.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I'm a part-time dad, and I got my kids a golden retriever puppy so they can have the dog they've always wanted. (My ex doesn't like dogs.) The problem is, I can't get Dusty to quit biting when she plays. She doesn't mean to hurt but her constant mouthing is really annoying to me and sometimes painful to my kids. What should I do? -- N.L., via e-mail

A: If you watch a litter of puppies play with each other, you might be surprised at how rough they can be. As puppies grow older, they learn from their littermates and their mother how to restrain those playful bites, which is one reason why it's so important to leave a puppy with his canine family until he's at least 7 weeks of age.

Some puppies don't get this critical early education, and some others are just slow learners. Others still are from breeds that are known to be "mouthier" than others -- retrievers are the classic example.

You can teach your puppy to keep her teeth to herself by attacking the problem from a couple of different directions. The first would be to redirect the behavior, giving your puppy a yummy toy and praising her for chewing on something that's not a family member.

Even as you're teaching the puppy what's OK to mouth, teach her how to leave family members unchewed by making the nipping unrewarding. Every time the puppy nips, cry "ouch" in a loud voice and immediately stop the play session. Turn away and ignore the puppy completely for a few minutes. Teach your kids to do the same thing.

The message to get across: Play stops when she nips. If you're persistent and consistent, your puppy will get the message and will learn to inhibit her bites. It will also help if you make sure she's getting plenty of exercise, because sometimes dogs who don't get enough get too wound up when finally they're offered the chance to play.

If the behavior doesn't show any sign of easing, or if the biting seems more aggressive than playful, don't delay in asking your veterinarian for a referral to a behaviorist or trainer.

Q: After losing my parakeet last year to old age, I'm now thinking of getting a cockatiel. My parakeet was in a cage that was pretty large. Will that be OK for the new bird? –- K.C., via e-mail

A: The general rule of thumb is that at a minimum you should get a cage that's sold for the next size up from your bird -- so a parakeet should get a cockatiel cage, a cockatiel a cage sized for a small parrot and so on. Really, you can't get a cage that's too large, as long as the bars are not spaced so far apart that your bird can get out.

Why the extra size? Because it's boring stuck in a cage all the time, and a larger cage equipped with a rotating supply of toys and other diversions will help keep your bird in good mental health.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600