(This post was originally published on December 8, 2016 and has been updated to be more awesome.)
“Did you know” posts on social are a simple and fun way for your practice to both educate clients and encourage them to share posts with friends and family, which expands awareness of your practice and the potential for new clients. To help you with that, here are ten fun, pre-written holiday-themed posts to share with clients on social:
Cats
- Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t feed your cat a saucer of milk or any dairy products. While they may love the taste, most cats are lactose intolerant. So, if you’re planning on leaving out a glass of milk for Santa, make sure to leave the milk someplace inaccessible to your cat. Or just leave the milk in the fridge. As far as we know, cats still can’t open fridges (as much as they may want to) and Santa knows where to find the milk. (He sees everything!)
- Cats enjoy playing with tinsel, and who can blame them. To a cat, a dangling piece of tinsel basically says, “Play with me!” But if they decide to ingest it, tinsel can cause intestinal blockages that can be harmful or even fatal. To avoid this, consider not using tinsel to decorate your tree, or hang it high in the tree where your cat can’t get to it.
- Sir Isaac Newton invented the cat flap because his cat, Spithead, kept pushing the door open when he was conducting experiments that needed darkness. Said another way, if you find yourself in an awkward conversation this holiday season and need to change the subject, it’s always handy to have a random factoid in your back pocket to do the job, as in, “Hey, do you know why Sir Isaac Newton invented the cat flap?” Happy holidays!
Dogs
- Petting a dog helps lower blood pressure and reduce stress. This is especially handy during the stress of the holidays. So, when things feel stressful, relax and pet your dog, and if this doesn’t offer enough stress relief, take a break and take your dog outside to play. Your dog will love you for it (and you’ll feel better, to boot).
- Grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, wild mushrooms, chocolate, macadamia nuts, and other foods common to holiday foods are extremely toxic to dogs. If you see your pet eating anything toxic or exhibiting any unusual signs, contact us immediately or the Pet Poison Helpline, available in North America by calling 800-213-6680.
- While some dogs love laser toys, dogs who are frustrated with laser toys can become obsessed with chasing light and shadows. So, think carefully if you’re considering buying your dog a laser toy for the holidays.
Pets
- According to a recent survey by OnePoll, 95% of pet owners buy their pets holiday gifts. Another study found that lost dogs are 2 ½ times more likely to be found when they have microchip ID, and lost cats are 20 times more likely to be found with microchip ID. So, why not give your pet the gift of microchip ID this season to better ensure your pet is always home for the holidays.
- Overindulgence in food is almost unavoidable during the holiday season, and in the spirit of things, it’s easy to overindulge pets with food and treats. Yet pets can quickly become accustomed to extra food, and when they start begging for more, it’s easy to continue overindulging them to quiet them. So, exercise caution with food this season. Overweight pets can suffer from arthritis, diabetes, hypertension & many other problems, just like people.
- If you’ve ever sent a holiday greeting card that included your pet’s name, you’re in good company. Roughly 70% of pet owners sign their pet’s name on greeting cards. The challenge, of course, is coming up with a short message to accompany your pet’s name, but in a pinch, the words “paws” and “mew” are endearing standbys, as in “Have a paw-some holiday” and “Happy Mew Year!”
- While the idea of giving someone a new puppy or kitten at Christmas may seem like a great idea, animal shelters typically experience a spike after the holidays from pets being given up by people who are unable to make a lifelong commitment to care for a companion animal. Adopting a pet is a big decision, and agencies like PETA strongly advise people not to give pets as a surprise present.
With these ready-to-go posts for your social channels, you’ve got some fun and/or educational options to engage clients during the holidays and encourage them to share your posts to expand awareness of your practice.
If you like the convenience of pre-written content, did you know that WebDVM custom veterinary websites come with WebDVM Social to easily and consistently engage clients all year ‘round? With suggested pre-written weekly content in a single management location (making it a breeze to post to all your channels), WebDVM Social is just one WebDVM feature to help you market your practice more effectively while saving you time to focus on what matters most.
