Holiday Hazards

It’s the most wonderful time of the year until your pet ingests some tinsel or decides to drink the Christmas tree water. Keep your furry friends away from these items to ensure a merry holiday season for all.Turkey Bones

Try to resist the urge of throwing holiday table scraps to your pets. Rich, fatty food can cause illnesses such as pancreatitis- a potentially dangerous inflammation of the pancreas. If ingested, turkey bones can cause stomach perforation and painful constipation that may require veterinary care.

Sugar-Free Baked Goods

Holiday cookies might seem like a tempting treat for Fido, but the artificial sweetener xylitol can cause a dogs blood pressure to drop dangerously low.

Chocolate

Chocolate, which stimulates the nervous system and heart, should be kept far away from our four-legged friends. Consumption of chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, elevated heart rate, tremors, seizures and even death.

Tinsel and Ribbons

These shiny decorations may look pretty, but they can cause serious problems for cats and dogs. Never wrap tinsel or ribbon around the neck of your pet, no matter how festive it looks- this is a choking hazard. If ingested, tinsel and other decorations like ribbon can cause an intestinal blockage.

Electrical Cords

Some pets love to chew electrical cords, and all the additional lights strung up around the house presents a new hazard. If chewed, live electrical cords can cause burns in/around your pet’s mouth, difficulty breathing, seizures and cardiac arrest.

The Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree should always be secured, and fragile glass ornaments should be kept off lower branches. If your cat is prone to climbing, leave the ornaments off the tree for a few days and see if he will attempt to climb it. If you have a real tree, don’t add fertilizer to the tree water, and keep your pets away from stagnant water in the reservoir. Tree fertilizer and stagnant water can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Written by Leanne Radcliffe, Receptionist