Petside.com provides 8 tips for a safe Memorial Day with your pet

Happy Memorial Day! This list was originally posted on May 26, 2012. I hope you enjoy a safe and happy holiday with your pet.

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of cookout season and with it comes many potential hazards to your pets.

Petside.com has put together this list of cookout safety tips. Follow these tips to ensure a safe and fun time for you and your pets this holiday.

Don't let your pets taste any of the food. Pancreatitis, a serious and potentially fatal inflammation of the pancreas, is often caused when pets eat greasy, spicy or fatty foods – exactly what people eat at barbeques.

Keep pets away from the garbage. If your dog chews on cooked bones, bone fragments may become lodged in his palate, esophagus, stomach or intestines, causing pain and frequently requiring surgery.

Keep matches, lighters and lighter fluid in a secure place away from your pets. The chemical phosphorus in matches acts like a poison if ingested, and lighter fluid can also be harmful if ingested, inhaled or simply placed on the skin.

Do not take your dog or cat to fireworks displays. Instead, leave your pet indoors, in a room without breakables and valuables, with a TV or radio on at a low volume to keep your pet company.

Don't deploy fireworks around your pets. Even small, quiet fireworks could burn your pet, which may come too close, attracted by the glittering light.

Keep insect-repelling products away from your pet. Citronella, bug coils, bug spray and insect oils can all make pets sick if ingested.

Do not use glow jewelry to decorate or play with your pets. Glow jewelry contains toxins your pet should not eat.

Do not allow your pet to drink alcohol. Alcohol can harm your pet's mental wellbeing and respiratory system.

But if your pet does get into any of these harmful substances, don't hesitate to call your vet.