The holiday season can be a fun and exciting time for you and your family – but can be a dangerous time for your pets! Here are some common household hazards to avoid to help your pet have a safe and happy holiday.
Decorations
Household Plants: Mistletoe, holly, lilies, pine, Christmas rose and poinsettias are all potentially dangerous to your pets if eaten.
Tinsel, Confetti, and Wrappers: All of these
can cut up the digestive tract and block your pet’s intestines. Also, ensure the tree is well-secured.
Ornaments and Snow Globes: Ornament pieces and hooks can damage your pet’s stomach and intestines. Snow globes often contain toxic antifreeze, so clean them up immediately if broken.
Lit Candles, Christmas Lights and Extension Cords: Keep these out of your pet’s reach to avoid burn injuries or electrical shock. Cords for lights should be made inaccessible to pets, especially chewing puppies and exploring kittens.
Pet Toys and Clothing
Be sure to consider your pet’s safety when choosing that special outfit or toy(s) for your pet. Avoid items with small parts – especially metal parts – and make sure toys are not small enough for your pet to swallow.
Human Foods
Fatty Trimmings and Bones: Pets may experience vomiting and diarrhea. Fatty food can also promote pancreatitis. Turkey bones easily splinter. Swallowed bones can pierce or block your pet’s intestines.
Caffeine: Make sure that after-dinner coffee or tea is for humans only! Caffeine can cause heart problems and vomiting in animals.
Raisins and Grapes: These are known to cause kidney failure in pets and are also a choking hazard, so use caution when passing around the fruit tray.
Chocolate: Enjoy our dessert, but avoid giving any chocolate to your pets. Consumption of chocolate can cause agitation, vomiting, diarrhea, high heart rate, tremors, seizures and even death. Be especially cautious with baking chocolate.
Macadamia Nuts and Walnuts: These nuts can cause severe lethargy, increased body temperature, vomiting, tremors, joint stiffness and the inability to walk.
Alcohol: Even in small amounts, all types of alcohol can make your pets very sick. Alcoholic drinks may cause vomiting, disorientation, diarrhea, lethargy, difficulty breathing, tremors, coma and seizures.
Artificial Sweeteners: Sugarless gum and artificially sweetened treats may cause vomiting, lethargy, loss of coordination, seizures and liver failure.
If you have any concerns or questions about any items in this article, please contact one of our team members at 204-269-8162. For service in Mandarin, please call 204-226-7966.