The holiday season is fully upon us. How will your pet fare as your family celebrates this year? Don’t let them fall victim to holiday hazards—your Dallas, GA veterinarian tells you how to keep your animal companion safe below.
Harmful Human Food
All kinds of harmful human foods are floating around this time of year. Pets don’t respond well to foods like onions, garlic, chives, leeks, scallions, shallots, grapes and raisins, avocado, salty items like chips and pretzels, fatty foods… the list goes on and on! Also make sure not to slip your pet bones, whether they’re cooked or uncooked, as they can splinter apart and cut your pet’s mouth or stomach lining.
Sweet Treats
Chocolate is a big pet no-no, as all types can cause symptoms like lethargy, excessive drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and worse. It’s also important to restrict your pet’s access to candies and baked goods; these are often sweetened with an artificial sugar called xylitol, which can poison pets even in small amounts. Keep Fido or Fluffy far away from the holiday treat dish!
Wrapping Warning
It’s best to keep a close eye on pets if you’re having a gift-wrapping session. Many pets see gift paper, ribbons, bows, tape, and other wrapping accessories as fun playthings, but they can cause harm if swallowed. It’s also a good idea to place scissors carefully; you don’t want your pet—or a human family member—accidentally stepping on them.
Decorative Danger
The cords of holiday lights can tangle a pet up, and they also present an electrical shock hazard if your pet decides to chew on them. Beware of tinsel on your holiday tree, as many pets view it as a fun toy. Tinsel can actually cause blockages if swallowed, or wrap around your pet’s intestines and cause serious harm. If necessary, place ornaments and tinsel high on the tree where your pet can’t reach, or leave them off entirely.
Poisonous Plants
Poinsettias aren’t as harmful for pets as they’ve been made out to be, although they can cause minor mouth or stomach irritation if enough is swallowed. You may be surprised to learn that holly and mistletoe are actually much more dangerous and can cause serious poisoning if a large amount is ingested. Keep pets away!
From all of us here at your Dallas, GA veterinary clinic: Happy Holidays! Call us to learn about more great pet-safety tips.
