Do’s & Dont’s: The Holidays and Your Pets

Safety tips 101

Be sure to secure your tree to avoid any injury to pets or children. We all know cats and trees can be an interesting combination so take all precautions to ensure the tree stays upright during the holiday season.  Tinsel is a very common decoration and also a very shiny toy to a cat or a curious dog. Once ingested it can get caught in the GI tract so maybe try some led string lights instead of the tinsel.  Holiday bows can disappear in 0.2 seconds around dogs so although it may be cute to watch your puppy play in the gifts or “open” their gifts it certainly won’t be fun when your pup gets sick or ends up in the vet.

Holiday plants are beautiful to look at and can really make a room festive. They can also be fatal to your pets. Holly, Mistletoe, amaryllis and daffodils are all toxic to dogs and potentially fatal. Poinsettias, although they can cause some irritation and an upset tummy, are not poisonous to dogs or cats. If you notice your pet has ingested any of these plants take them to the vet immediately.

Leftovers are great for us after the holidays but not so much for your pets. To avoid any risk of your pet eating leftover human food be sure to keep your pet away from the tables and out of the kitchen. Secure the lid on the garbage can to keep any prying noses out of where they are not supposed to be. Any food should be kept out of the way where a pet could access it on a table, chair or counter.

Use caution when purchasing rawhide chews for your dog. They are always a fan favorite at the time but some of the rawhides themselves are made with chemicals which can be very unpleasant for your pet. A good alternative would be a deer antler, a bully sticks or carrots.