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 Christmas Pet Safety Tips
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The holidays are a
time to eat, drink, decorate and share good times with friends and
family. However, the same treats and trimmings considered harmless for
humans can be hazardous to your pet's health. The ASPCA Animal Poison
Control Center is offering pet owners some helpful hints to keep their
pets happy and healthy during the holiday season.
 Christmas
Trees:
Pine needles can get lodged in an animal's esophagus, making it
painfully prickly for your pet to swallow. PETCO says that even drinking
the water from the Christmas tree base is enough to cause diarrhea,
mouth sores, vomiting and loss of appetite.
Deck
the Halls:
A bunch of mistletoe may tempt a festive kiss, but PETCO warns that
eating this holiday greenery could cause a drop in blood pressure, as
well as vomiting and swollen throat and mouth tissue. Other holiday
foliage, including Holly and Poinsettias, contain toxins that could lead
to severe stomach problems, as well as skin, mouth and eye irritation.
Worse yet, Yew is extremely toxic, and one mouthful could be deadly.
Tinsel
and Lights:
A flickering flame and shiny decorations intrigue companion animals.
When lighting the menorah, advent wreath or decorative candles, PETCO
advises to keep pets in another room where paws and claws can't reach
them. With electrical lights, remember to tape exposed electrical cords
to walls or floors to ensure no chewing or tripping. Tinsel and wrapping
paper may look like fun toys, but they can cause choking, upset stomach
or more serious problems.
Visions
of Sugar Plums:
PETCO knows that cookies and candies are as much about holiday tradition
as a snowy street scene; however, some of them can be dangerous to your
pets. For example, chocolate contains a chemical known as theobromine,
which can be highly toxic to your four-legged friends.
Antifreeze
Alert:
The onset of winter often means new antifreeze for the family car, which
is a substance that can be especially harmful to the family pet. PETCO
notes that antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which causes rapid and
permanent kidney damage to your companion animal if ingested in even
small amounts.
Holiday
sweets with chocolate are not for pets. Depending on the dose
ingested, chocolate (bakers, semi sweet, milk and dark) can be
potentially poisonous to many animals. In general, the less sweet the
chocolate, the more toxic it could be. In fact, unsweetened baking
chocolate contains almost seven times more theobromine as milk
chocolate. Vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity and increased
thirst, urination and heart rate can be seen with the ingestion of as
little as 1/4 ounce of baking chocolate by a 10-pound dog.
Keep
your pet on its normal diet. Any change of diet, even for one meal,
may give your dog or cat severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is
particularly true for older animals that have more delicate digestive
systems and nutritional requirements.
Don't
give pets holiday leftovers and keep pets out of the garbage. Poultry
bones can splinter and cause blockages. Greasy, spicy and fatty foods
can cause stomach upset; spoiled or moldy foods could cause food
poisoning signs, tremors or seizures.
Alcohol
and pets do NOT mix. Place unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot
reach them. If ingested, the animal could become very sick and weak and
may go into a coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory
failure.
Keep
aluminum foil and cellophane candy wrappers away from pets. They can
cause vomiting and intestinal blockage.
Be
careful with holiday floral arrangements. Lilies are commonly used and
all varieties, including Tiger, Asian, Japanese Show, Stargazer and Casa
Blanca can cause kidney failure in cats. Safe alternatives can include
artificial flowers made from silk or plastic.
Common
Yuletide plants such as mistletoe and holly berries can be potentially
toxic to pets. Should a cat or dog eat mistletoe, they could possibly
suffer gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. Holly can
cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and lethargy if ingested.
Poinsettias
are considered to be very low in toxicity. However, they could cause
mild vomiting or nausea if ingested by your pet.
Christmas tree water may contain fertilizers, which if ingested, can
cause stomach upset. Stagnant tree water can also act as a breeding
ground for bacteria and if ingested a pet could end up with nausea,
vomiting and diarrhea.
If
ingested, decorations such as ribbons or tinsel can become lodged in the
intestines and cause intestinal obstruction. This is a very common
problem, particularly with cats.
Consider decorating your tree with ornaments that are relatively less
enticing to pets, such as dried non-toxic flowers, wood, fabric or
pinecones.
A
Christmas tree should stand on a flat, wide base. You may also want to
anchor the tree with fishing line tied to a drapery rod, a ceiling or
wall hook. Cats often see trees as excellent climbing posts. Whether
your tree is live or artificial, both kinds of needles are indigestible.
Cover
your tree stand tightly with skirting. The water from the tree base can
cause mouth sores, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.
If
you plan to entertain, provide a "safe haven" to which your pets can
retreat when they get overly excited and there is a possibility of
escape.
If
you are going away for the holidays: make sure pet enclosures are
secure, your pets are wearing proper identification, and arrangements
have been made for their care.
While
your pet is safe in a loving home, remember those less fortunate.
Millions of pets, nationwide, will be homeless this holiday season. Our
shelter animals appreciate toys, treats, and especially love and
attention as much as yours. So visit and bring your holiday cheer.
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Lewis Clark Animal Shelter
