Don't Eat the Tinsel, and Other Christmas Pet Safety Tips
Keep your pets safe and merry during the most wonderful time of the year.
The Christmas holiday season could also be called the social season, or the chaotic season, whichever suits the moment! With this in mind, whether you are leaving town to visit relatives or entertaining company at your own home, it's necessary to make sure your pet is as comfortable as possible.
If you are planning on leaving town, it is best to plan in advance and either keep your beloved furry friend at a boarding kennel, or have a friend come and stay at the home with them. There are also some great at home pet sitting services available as well!
1. “Oh the beautiful lights and decorations!”
I’m sure most animals think the same thing we do when we see all the Christmas holiday decorations start to come out, but I would bet that they also think “Oh yum! that looks good!” or “I definitely want to play with that stuff!” As caregivers, we are donned the job of making sure that our animal companions aren’t unintentionally put in harms way. So we need to make sure that we use only animal safe decorations this holiday season. Here are some huge christmas season do nots:
- Tinsel
- Tree ornaments made out of food (you might end up losing your tree and have an expensive vet bill too!)
- Any low hanging ornaments must be pet friendly and non-breakable
- Barricade the tree trough, you don’t want your pet to drink from the water as it may be dirty and contain pine tree needles (which are indigestible)
- Be mindful of the christmas lights on the tree or around the house, make sure all electrical cords and wires are concealed and out of reach of the animal.
- Make sure there are no low hanging lights on the tree, as they can be a potential burn hazard.
- It is best to put the tree in a corner, out of the way and less likely to be tampered with by pets with curiosity
2. You aren’t the only one that’s curious about whats under that tree!
When you are in full swing Christmas morning and tearing all the wrapping paper, ribbons etc off of those presents, remember that those things can be dangerous if ingested by your furry friend. Wrapping paper and anything related should not be used as a toy for your pet, its dangerous and not necessary when they will be getting all their own fun goodies from Pounce and Hound Fine Pet Goods! If you don’t know 100% what is in some of those lovely wrapped gifts, than it may be best to keep them away from greedy paws, chocolate and other candied goodies are toxic and can be dangerous to your pets, so be cautious with your gifts!
3. Some popular christmas plants are toxic to animals, be careful if any of these plants are in your home:
- Poinsettia
- MIstleToe
- Holly
- Amaryllis
If you animal does ingest these plants or anything you are unsure about, please call Dr.Jason Rowan at Pandosy Village Veterinary Hospital.
We here at Pandosy Village Veterinary Hospital don't want to put a damper on your seasonal festivities, we just want to make sure that your furry family members stay as safe as possible! Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!
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