‘Tis the Season to be Safe: Holiday Safety Tips

Here are some tips to help keep your pet safe with holiday hazards around the house.

• Securely anchor your Christmas tree. The tree is very enticing to a pet and if they are playing near the tree, it could tip or fall over on your pet.
• Avoid the tinsel. The shiny material may look like a toy, but swallowing it can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration, and can even require surgery.
• Lights! There tends to be extra cords to plug in lights and holiday decorations during this time of year. Keep them out of your pet’s reach to avoid burns and electrical shocks.
• Choose your ornaments carefully. Dangling ornaments may look like toys to your pet who may swat at them or chew them causing them to break. Use shatterproof ornaments or materials other than glass because the shards can injure your pet’s mouth, digestive tract, and paws.
• Keep your human food for yourself! Holiday time is about the joy, family, friendship with a little holiday cheer and food. Keep your pets away from these common holiday human treats:
  • Chocolate: it contains the artificial sweetener xylitol which is harmful to pets
  • Alcohol: is absorbed quickly in animals and usually causes vomiting after ingestion
  • Table scraps: rich foods can be upsetting to your pet’s stomach and cause nausea and vomiting
• Some household items are toxic! Some household items may contain toxins that are dangerous if ingested by your animals. Items include:
  • Tree preservatives. If you use a tree preservative or even if you have a live tree, this chemical can be found in the water at the bottom of the Christmas tree and if ingested it can cause vomiting and diarrhea
  • Red or white poinsettias can irritate your pet’s the mouth or stomach which can cause pain and vomiting