Make the Holidays Safe for Your Pets

  Posted on November 29, 2018  by Joy of Living  No comments

It’s the holiday season, and you are probably running around like crazy. While you are busy decking the halls and baking holiday goodies, it is easy to forget about your four-legged friends in your midst.  Make the holidays safe for your pets by avoiding the following dangers:

Toxic Plants

Poinsettias, holly, mistletoe, lilies, and even your tree can be harmful to your pet.  If your pet consumes any of these, they can prove to be toxic, depending upon how much your pet ingests.

Poinsettias

The sap from a poinsettia and the fir tree oil in the needles and branches of the tree can cause vomiting and/or irritation in your pet’s mouth and throat.  However, it would take a large amount of these substances to actually be poisonous.  If you don’t know how much your pet has ingested, take him to the vet immediately.

The sap and the oil taste disgusting, your pet will be more likely to counter surf the selection of homemade goodies as opposed to gnawing on your tree. But watch those goodies, too.  The fat, chocolate, and nuts are not good for pets, either.

Live Christmas Tree

If you have a real Christmas tree, make sure you cover the stand so your pet cannot get into the water.  If, for whatever reason, you are unable to cover the stand, then do not add any chemicals, aspiring, or tree preservative that are used to keep the tree fresh.

Lilies

Lilies are beautiful flowers.  With the many different varieties, you can make a beautiful arrangement to decorate your home.  However, if a cat ingests just a tiny amount, it can cause kidney failure and death.

If your cat has eaten part of a lily, the symptoms will present in about 12 hours. Symptoms include vomiting, seizures, tremors, and lethargy.  Within 36 hours, renal failure can set in, and by that time, it will be too late to save your cat.

Even if your cat has brushed up against the flowers and gets some pollen onto her fur, get her bathed immediately.  If you suspect she has eaten any of the flowers, err on the side of caution and get her to the vet immediately.  Don’t wait for the symptoms to appear.

Tree and Gift Decorations

You’d be surprised what pets find worthy of a good chew.  You don’t want your pet to experience a choking hazard. Pets are curious and will chew on just about anything, so be careful of ribbons, bows, garland, and holiday wrapping paper.

Do not place edible gifts for your pet under the tree.  Pets have a great sense of smell, and will go to great lengths to find the treat, knocking your tree down in the process.

Avoid breakable ornaments. They are very tempting for many cats, and some dogs, too, to bat and possibly break as a result.

Conclusion

If your guests are not accustomed to pets, they may inadvertently feed your pet something he should not have, such as chocolate, cooked bones, fat, and other foods not appropriate for a pet.

Set up a room for your pet when company visits so that he is away from all of the action. This will keep your pet safe and prevent him escaping during all the excitement.

Equip the room with food, water, his favorite toys, a bed and litter box (for cats). Put on some relaxing music to help mask the visitor noise. Put a sign on the door to let visitors know to keep the door closed.

Not to worry, your pet will be fine. It’s just your way of expressing how much you love him! The gift of safety is one of the best gifts you can give your pet this holiday season!