Holiday Preparations
To keep the holiday season enjoyable and accident-free, it's important to plan ahead and keep your pets safe so they can partake in the fun too!
Keeping your pet safe during the holidays means taking them into consideration when you make plans for decorations, food, and activities.
Decorating with Care
Decorations are always fun, but some options can create hazards for your pets. Selecting your decor and how you use it can keep you from an unfortunate emergency trip to the vet.
Tinsel and similar shiny garlands bring a sparkle to your home and tree, but are often victim to cat attacks when your feline friend decides the sparkling string looks too tempting. Tinsel is notorious for being eaten by cats and creating a hazard in their digestive tract as it trails through, threatening to tangle up intestines or cut through tissue is pulled on, either internally or externally.
Candles can be dangerous to both cats and dogs. Lit candles should be kept out of reach of pets to prevent hot wax from dripping or falling on them, and to prevent catching anything else on fire. Be aware of adding scented candles to your decor as well, if you have a pet who is prone to chewing on foreign and/or tempting smelling objects!
If you plan to have a tree in your home, consider using plastic or durable metal ornaments on the lower branches that your pets might reach, to keep ceramic and glass from breaking when they are left unattended, and ensure all ornaments are securely affixed to the branches so they cannot be easily knocked down.
Hang lights out of reach of pets to prevent pets from chewing on electric cords. While your pet may look fine after an electric shock to the mouth, it can cause harmful and possibly even deadly internal damage and can lead to electrical burns in their mouth and throat, making eating and drinking painful or even impossible.
It is also important to pay attention to the potential hazards of any plants you bring into the house. While it may be obvious that a tree could fall over or your pet could ingest pine needles, other plants that seem harmless can be toxic. Poinsettias, while providing a classic touch of holiday cheer, are mildly toxic to both dogs and cats, and both mistletoe and holly are toxic and dangerous as well. Plants should be kept out of reach, or pet owners could consider using silk plants in lieu of their more hazardous botanical counterparts.
Snacking Safely
Many flavors of the season may be delicious to us, but prove toxic to our loving and curious pets. Keeping them safe around the kitchen starts with knowing what is safe and what could be harmful.
While most people know that chocolate and xylitol are toxic to dogs and cats, making most sweet treats off the menu, raw dough is also harmful. Many seasonings can be hazardous as well, because both garlic and onion are toxic to pets.
Be sure to keep track of your festive and celebratory beverages as well: alcohol is dangerous for cats and dogs. If your activities include marijuana use, make sure all tools and materials are kept away from pets: marijuana ingestion is a veterinary emergency for pets.
If you want to share some of the joy of the season with your pets, be sure to select treats that are healthy for them. Low fat, easily digestible treats, like plain pumpkin puree, unseasoned peas, and boiled white-meat chicken or turkey (without skin) are a good option. Talk to your vet about what some healthy options may be for your specific pets. Be sure not to overindulge your pets with too many treats too, no matter how healthy.
To keep the holiday season enjoyable and accident-free, it's important to plan ahead and keep your pets safe so they can partake in the fun too!
Keeping your pet safe during the holidays means taking them into consideration when you make plans for decorations, food, and activities.
Decorating with Care
Decorations are always fun, but some options can create hazards for your pets. Selecting your decor and how you use it can keep you from an unfortunate emergency trip to the vet.
Tinsel and similar shiny garlands bring a sparkle to your home and tree, but are often victim to cat attacks when your feline friend decides the sparkling string looks too tempting. Tinsel is notorious for being eaten by cats and creating a hazard in their digestive tract as it trails through, threatening to tangle up intestines or cut through tissue is pulled on, either internally or externally.
Candles can be dangerous to both cats and dogs. Lit candles should be kept out of reach of pets to prevent hot wax from dripping or falling on them, and to prevent catching anything else on fire. Be aware of adding scented candles to your decor as well, if you have a pet who is prone to chewing on foreign and/or tempting smelling objects!
If you plan to have a tree in your home, consider using plastic or durable metal ornaments on the lower branches that your pets might reach, to keep ceramic and glass from breaking when they are left unattended, and ensure all ornaments are securely affixed to the branches so they cannot be easily knocked down.
Hang lights out of reach of pets to prevent pets from chewing on electric cords. While your pet may look fine after an electric shock to the mouth, it can cause harmful and possibly even deadly internal damage and can lead to electrical burns in their mouth and throat, making eating and drinking painful or even impossible.
It is also important to pay attention to the potential hazards of any plants you bring into the house. While it may be obvious that a tree could fall over or your pet could ingest pine needles, other plants that seem harmless can be toxic. Poinsettias, while providing a classic touch of holiday cheer, are mildly toxic to both dogs and cats, and both mistletoe and holly are toxic and dangerous as well. Plants should be kept out of reach, or pet owners could consider using silk plants in lieu of their more hazardous botanical counterparts.
Snacking Safely
Many flavors of the season may be delicious to us, but prove toxic to our loving and curious pets. Keeping them safe around the kitchen starts with knowing what is safe and what could be harmful.
While most people know that chocolate and xylitol are toxic to dogs and cats, making most sweet treats off the menu, raw dough is also harmful. Many seasonings can be hazardous as well, because both garlic and onion are toxic to pets.
Be sure to keep track of your festive and celebratory beverages as well: alcohol is dangerous for cats and dogs. If your activities include marijuana use, make sure all tools and materials are kept away from pets: marijuana ingestion is a veterinary emergency for pets.
If you want to share some of the joy of the season with your pets, be sure to select treats that are healthy for them. Low fat, easily digestible treats, like plain pumpkin puree, unseasoned peas, and boiled white-meat chicken or turkey (without skin) are a good option. Talk to your vet about what some healthy options may be for your specific pets. Be sure not to overindulge your pets with too many treats too, no matter how healthy.