• Tweet

• Tweet

I’ve already hung stockings and wrapped presents for my furry children, and I bet you have too. These pet safety tips for the holidays will help when our dogs and cats just don’t seem to understand, “Don’t eat the tinsel!” Send your vet a holiday greeting card, because with these pet safety tips, you won’t have to say happy holidays in person.

Plants

This is a special time of year when some of us decorate our homes with holly, mistletoe, poinsettias, lilies, fir trees, and wreaths. Lilies are lethal to cats. Pine needles are sharp enough to puncture holes in intestines. Mistletoe and holly cause a multitude of digestive problems. As an alternative, buy artificial plants made of silk and plastic that are still festive, but pet -friendly. If you prefer a fresh tree, keep in mind that Christmas tree water also poses more risks–stagnant water breeds bacteria, and fertilizers can cause upset stomach if ingested. Anchor your tree to the ceiling with string to keep it from falling on pets or children, and this will keep the water from spilling as well.  To keep pets away, place crunchy aluminum foil or bubble wrap on or around the area. In our home, we wrap a tree skirt around the trunk so the water is not accessed easily by anyone, pet or person.

Tinsel & Ornaments

As with human children, tinsel and ornaments can become choking hazards for your pets. Why did the cat climb the holiday tree? To get the tinsel. Tinsel, has a reputation for intriguing cats especially, because it sparkles in the light, not to mention it’s easy to carry in their mouths and drag around the house. When swallowed, tinsel can lead to blocked intestines, obstructed digestive tracts, and an array of digestive troubles – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and the list goes on.  Ornaments, which often resemble toys to pets, present the same sort of problems. It’s best to use some alternative to tinsel, but always hang tinsel and ornaments up high, out of reach of pets. Food ornaments are just as bad if not worse than glass and plastic (see festive foods below). Snow globes, with the little scenes and the snow and the trees, have a variety of weird contaminates, ranging from antifreeze to salmonella, so keep these out of reach, just like ornaments.

Holiday Lighting

Candles are beautiful on side tables and in centerpieces, but of course we can’t leave pets unattended in a candlelit room.  Extinguish candles when you walk away, and keep candles on stable surfaces far from a pet’s reach.  Fireplace screens are a great safety precaution for the whole family. When using electric lights, plugs and wires may look like chew toys so they should be covered, taped down, or out of paw’s reach. Remember to unplug lights when leaving the house – if your pets chew a cord while you’re away they could be shocked or burned.

Festive Foods

Chocolate, nuts, and bones are fatal to pets all year long, but this season you’ll have to think of your guests’ interactions with your pets, too. Do not let your guests feed your pets human food! It’s not cute, and it’s more than a case of upset stomach for your dog or cat. Many foods, from meat to gravy, chocolate to alcohol, can cause illness up to severe toxic reactions. It’s best to keep your pets away from the table and unattended dishes. Lock up that garbage can, too. Simply securing the lid on your garbage can will keep pets away from leftovers, candy wrappers, aluminum foil pieces, and well, garbage!

Holiday Stress

Like people, pets sometimes get stressed out when company comes to call. It’s best to keep pets on their regular schedule despite the holiday activities–this means following their normal feeding times and exercise schedule. Keep a room reserved for retreat. Your pets will want a quiet place to eat, drink, and more than likely sleep, after playing with friends and family.  Make sure your pets are wearing their current I.D. tags in the event they slip out while guests are coming and going. This is also a good time to test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Well sure, but I thought this was about my pets? That sound your smoke alarm makes as the battery dies is annoying to you, but distressing to your pets.

Gifts & Toys

We know there’s a fifty-fifty chance you’ll give your pet a gift this year. If you have children (I mean the human kind) put their toys away after they open their gifts. Your pets don’t really know the difference between your son’s or daughter’s toy compared to a dog or cat toy, and again these small pieces are something to keep away from their paws.

Gifts safe for dogs: Stick with indestructible chew toys; when dogs tear their toys to bits these bits can be deadly if swallowed. Chew treats that are meant to be digested are typically best for pups.

Gifts safe for cats: Pick toys too big to swallow (also a good rule for dogs); string, yarn, ribbon, and loose mouth-size bits are too easily ingested.

If you suspect that your pet has eaten something toxic, call your veterinarian and/or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP.

We hope you have a safe and happy holiday with your family and furry children. If you have more pet safety tips for the holidays, or want to tell your favorite safe pet toy suggestions, please share with us!

 Printer Friendly Version