Holidays can be very scary or confusing for your pet, so consider these tips to help keep your furry friend safe during this season of celebration.
Foods such as fatty meats, onion and garlic, chocolate and candy with artificial sweetener xylitol may be hazardous (or even deadly) for pets. Tinsel can entrap intestinal passageways and cause blockage.
1. Keep Your Pet in a Crate or Kennel
From your pet’s point of view, holidays can be frightening and dangerous. Candles, fire embers, festive decorations may present threats if they fall over or come into contact with them accidentally. Edible gifts with bows should also be kept out of reach along with any candy containing chocolate or xylitol; cookies; coffee; liquor etc… All should remain out of your pet’s grasp to prevent injuries.
Curious pets often enjoy exploring Christmas trees and ornaments, which can cause injuries if eaten or chewed upon by curious pets. Holiday plants like holly, mistletoe and poinsettia can also be harmful if ingested and can result in serious gastrointestinal distress for cats and dogs alike. Tinsel and garland present potential choking hazards which break apart and become dangerous choking hazards while branches with sharp needles could puncture intestines or lungs if taken in large doses by curious pets! Additionally, all this chaos and increased human traffic may become overwhelming for many animals!
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2. Keep Human Food Out of Reach
Holiday celebrations provide an opportunity to feast, bond and have fun – but unfortunately for our pets this means an increased exposure to table scraps, junk food and other potentially toxic treats that could prove fatal if consumed in large amounts.
Well-meaning guests and family members may unwittingly give their pets prohibited foods. This is most frequently the case when feeding fatty cuts of meat, onions, garlic or buttery foods to pets; additionally, wine or other alcoholic beverages can pose significant danger.
Mistletoe, holly, and poinsettia plants can pose serious hazards to cats and dogs when nibbled upon by curious pets, while electrical cords and tinsel pose choking risks if brought within reach of curious pets. Placing these decorations out of reach helps avoid accidental ingestion; similarly storing any cooked or raw turkey bones safely away can help.
3. Keep Alcohol Out of Reach
An ounce of alcohol may not pose much of a threat to humans, but even small amounts are extremely toxic to pets and can even cause coma and even death.
Tinsel and decorations may appear harmless when played with by your pet, but ingestion could result in a serious blockage that requires surgery to correct. Popular decorative plants like holly, mistletoe and poinsettia could also pose risks if consumed.
Electrical cords present another potential hazard to your pet that they might chew on, potentially leading to burns or electrocution. You can use taste deterrents and cord protectors to make it harder for your pet to access these items; additionally, be sure that their ID tag and microchip info remain up-to-date in case they escape!
4. Keep the Tree Out of Reach
Many things change in your home during the holidays: visitors and packages come through your door, food is prepared for parties and special meals, and a sparkling new tree takes center stage in your living room. All these activities may pose both stress and danger to pets – especially dogs and cats.
Edible gifts under the tree may bring pleasure for humans, but can cause severe digestive distress in animals even in small doses. Ribbons and bows may choke or scratch pets while Styrofoam peanuts and shred paper could potentially block intestinal passageways if consumed.
Mistletoe, holly, and poinsettia can require emergency veterinary attention if consumed, while non-toxic plants like pine needles and balsam can irritate their mouth, throat, and stomach, leading to vomiting and other unpleasantness in dogs and cats.
5. Keep Your Pet on a Regular Schedule
Holidays bring more people into your home, which can be stressful for pets. Maintaining a regular schedule for them reduces stress levels and keeps them from getting into things they shouldn’t. Make sure your garbage can lids are secured so your pet won’t rummage through trash for food, plastic packaging, bones or any other potentially hazardous objects.
Keep sweets out of reach – sweets like chocolate, raisins and grapes, Macadamia nuts and sugarless products containing artificial sweetener xylitol can all pose life-threatening threats if consumed by pets. Tinsel decorations that could cause intestinal blockages should also be kept out of the reach of your pet while holiday plants such as amaryllis, holly and poinsettia can also be toxic if eaten; make sure electrical cords are safely placed so your curious pet doesn’t chew them up.