Making the Holidays  

Pet Friendly

Decorations

 

Candles, ornaments, tinsel, ribbon, draidels, wrapping paper

 

Dangers: Burns (candles), choking, intestinal blockage, stomach infection, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, stomach pain, fever

 

Tips:

• It's best to brighten your house with something other than tinsel. 

• Be sure to use appropriate candle holders, placed on a stable surface. And if you leave the room, put the candle out!

Holiday Plants & Trees

Holly, Lilies , Mistletoe,  Poinsettia & Christmas tree water/pine needles

 

Dangers:

Nausea, vomiting & diarrhea (holly), 

gastrointestinal upset, cardiovascular problems, even death (mistletoe), kidney failure in cats (lilies), mouth irritation (poinsettia), gastric distress (pine needles)

 

Tips:

• Use artificial plants made from silk or plastic. 

• Securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn't tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet. 

• Instead, give your dog a coconut husk, branches or a plastic bottle without a cap. These are free, non-toxic, and in abundant supply!

Food & drinks

 

Alcohol, bones, chocolate, fat trimmings, nuts (specifically almonds, walnuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts), general overindulgence, water with preservatives or sap in Christmas tree stand

 

Dangers: Choking, obstruction, lacerations (bones), pancreatitis (fatty foods), to gastric and respiratory distress (water from preservatives/tree sap), to coma, seizures, and death (alcohol, chocolate)

*One Hershey's bar is poisonous to a chihuahua

 

Tips: 

• Keep pets away from the table and unattended plates of food.

• Secure lids on garbage cans.

• Put unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot get to them.

• Stick with chew toys or balls that are basically indestructable, can be stuffed with healthy foods or chew treats that are designed to be safely digested.

• Remember, pets on leashes tend to get into less trouble. 

 

Electrical Cords & Lights

 

Holiday lights & eletrical cords

 

 

Dangers: electrical shock, death, burns, difficulty breathing, abnormal heartbeat, loss of consciousness

 

Tips:

• Keep wires, batteries and glass or plastic ornaments out of paws' reach.

• Don't hang lights on lower branches or areas your pet can reach, they can receive a powerful electrical shock if they bite or chew on the cords.

To help calm anxious pets, try Adaptil for dogs and Feliway for cats! These natural pharamones can help calm animals when their in new situations, surounded by new people and scared of loud sounds. 

 

The Secret to Happy

Dogs and Cats

New Years

Poppers & Fireworks

 

Dangers: Surgery, strings/confetti lodged in intestines, damage to ears

 

Tips:

•  Make sure your pet is secured in a safe, non-escapable room during fireworks or use of confetti poppers.