Holiday Hazards

Holiday Hazards

               Christmas is here and Patton Veterinary Hospital wants you and your pets to enjoy the season safely. Here are some tips for keeping pets safe while decorating and celebrating.

•  Ribbon, tinsel, and twine can pose hazards for pets if they decide to ingest them.  String can damage the intestines if swallowed.  Cats are especially attracted to these items, but dogs, birds or ferrets could be intrigued as well.  Keep ribbons and tinsel out of reach and consider alternatives to tinsel on the tree, especially if you have cats!
• Glass ornaments look lovely on the tree, but could be problematic if they fall off and break.  Sharp glass could become embedded in paws or noses or be ingested.  Secure trees so they cannot be knocked over by curious cats or playful pooches, block access to your tree or consider using unbreakable plastic ornaments. Also, make sure pets cannot chew strings of lights or other wires which can pose an electrocution hazard, and, if you have a real tree, either block access to the water basin or do not put chemicals or additives in the tree water if you have pets as it can be harmful if pets drink it.
• Holiday foods such as chocolate, alcohol, and rich table foods can wreak havoc on your pet’s digestive system and are often toxic.  To avoid problems like vomiting, diarrhea and more serious issues like pancreatitis don’t share holiday goodies with your pets and never, ever let pets have alcohol. 
• Holiday greenery in the form of mistletoe, holly, poinsettias, and paperwhites bring beauty to our homes, but could be toxic to our pets if the leaves are ingested. The toxicity of poinsettias has long been exaggerated, but don’t allow pets to eat them as they can cause vomiting and diarrhea; however, ingestion is not fatal.  Holly and mistletoe are a different story.  Highly toxic, keep these two plants well out of reach of curious cats and dogs if decorating with real greenery.  Mistletoe can cause vomiting, diarrhea, trouble breathing and weakness. Saponins in holly cause drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and decreased activity. Paperwhites (a.k.a. Narcissus) which are common this time of year contain a toxin known as lycorine which causes vomiting. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, drooling and lethargy and tremors. The bulbs are more highly toxic than the stems and flowers.  In rare cases, heart or kidney damage may develop.
• Candles, scented wax melts, and fireplaces can also be a hazard to our pets.  Never allow pets near an open flame.  Not only can pets get burned by fire or wax melts, they also pose a fire hazard if knocked over.  Use extreme caution with lighted candles when pets are present.

     We want everyone to enjoy the holiday season with your fur babies, but be mindful of these potential holiday hazards this winter. Stay safe and warm and have a Merry Christmas!

      This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities.

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/holiday-pet-safety