The holiday season is a fun and festive time of year for everyone, including your pets. It’s normal to want to share some holiday cheer with them, but we have to make sure we’re being safe about it! From the holiday guests we invite to our house to tinsel hung up within their reach, there are many things we need to consider to keep our pets healthy and happy. Here are 6 ways you can keep your pet safe through the holidays:
1. Holiday foods
Food is a big part of any holiday gathering, however there are some human foods pets should avoid at all costs. Some of these foods include poultry with the bone as the bones can shatter and cause harm to your pet and turkey skin and fat as this can lead to negative symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea in your pet. Other foods to avoid are anything with onion or garlic as these can cause pet toxicity and, of course, alcoholic beverages as these can cause a lot of harm to our furry friends.
2. Toxic seasonal plants
A lot of people love to decorate for the holidays with seasonal plants such as poinsettias but did you know these plants are actually very toxic for both cats and dogs? Other toxic holiday plants include holly, mistletoe, pine, and amaryllis. It is best to do some research into any holiday plant you want to decorate with to make sure it won’t harm your pet.
3. Skip the tinsel
Tinsel looks pretty and shiny to us humans, but it also looks that way to our pets. This can make them curious and can lead to them accidentally ingesting it. While tinsel is not poisonous it can be deadly once consumed. It can cause severe damage to your pets intestinal tract and can lead to very pricey abdominal surgery for your pet. In order to keep your pet safe this holiday season and save yourself some worry, it might be best to skip the tinsel.
4. Edible gifts
Another consideration when it comes to the holidays is edible gifts. This could be anything from an edible arrangement to a box of chocolates. If you receive one of these, or have them stored somewhere for someone else, make sure they stay out of reach of your pets as they could be toxic for them. Chocolate is a big concern when it comes to edible gifts as it is very toxic to both cats and dogs. Other foods that are toxic include grapes, cherry pits, caffeine, candy, and more. It is best to keep all edible gifts away from your pet just in case.
5. Christmas trees
Another toxic holiday plant is, unfortunately, Christmas trees. Most people opt for fir trees, however, these trees are mildly toxic to dogs and cats and can cause excessive drooling and vomiting. On top of that the water used to keep the tree alive can be toxic to your pet due to the various fertilizers and preservatives in it. If you use an artificial tree, pieces of plastic or aluminum might fall off and cause intestinal blockage if you aren’t careful. Another consideration is if you use glass ornaments as your pet may knock them over and can injure themselves with the broken glass. Overall, it is best to keep pets away from your christmas tree. This could mean using a barrier to prevent them from going near the tree or supervising them vigilantly around it.
6. Holiday guests
When you have holiday guests over for the holidays, make sure they know the rules when it comes to your pet. If your pet has a sensitive stomach make sure your guests know not to be feeding them their leftovers or scraps. If your pet is wary of strangers make sure your guests know to give your pet its space. Just make sure you have a conversation with your guests about pet etiquette. You should also make sure your pet is well behaved as well and that it won’t beg or plead for food or harass your guests.
