As they say at this time of year, it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Decorations are out, the festive feast is getting prepared and that last-minute dash to the shopping centre for some presents is nearly upon us. However, let’s not forget about our furry family members during this time, as there are some hazards that we should be aware of when we start celebrating with all our loved ones.
common holiday dangers to our pets
Christmas Delicacies
Candy canes, chocolate, mince pies, Christmas pudding, blue cheese, macadamia nuts, grapes, currants, gravy, garlic, chives and onions are only a few of the festive foods we need to keep away from our furry friends. While this time of year is all about giving, it is important to fight those puppy dog eyes! Many human foods can make your pet very sick. Be wary of cooked bones as they can easily damage your pet’s mouth, throat and intestines and can cause your pet to choke.
Shiny Tinsel and ALL our Merry Decorations
Wrapping the eye-catching tinsel around the Christmas Tree creates that pièce de résistance to our holiday decorating traditions. However, if your pet decides to make the silver tinsel their new chew toy, they could be in a lot danger. Tinsel can become stuck in their intestines, creating a blockage, which can result in the guts perforating and life-threatening complications. Your pet can experience vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite in the event of an intestinal blockage and surgery is the only option to relieve the obstruction. It is best to try to stick all decorations, including the tinsel, higher up on the tree as even round ball decorations can hurt your pet once they break in their mouth or paws. Our pets can become very intrigued by the colourful and new decorations around their domain!
Bright and Inviting Fairy Lights
Particularly our feline friends can become curious and aim for the fairy lights around the house or tree. Just like us, these lights can burn and even electrocute them. You will notice your pet acting dazed and confused or experiencing trouble breathing, burn injuries, seizures and in extreme cases, sudden death. There are some things you can do to try to keep the lights secure, such as hanging them out of reach or making sure the cord is protected.
Avoid the Mistletoe and the Festive Plants
Keeping our pets away from a sneaky kiss on the mistletoe is very important as they contain a lot of dangerous toxins. There are a range of poisonous plants to our pets that could be around your house. While lilies, amaryllis and poinsettia plants look beautiful, it is best to keep them out of your pet’s grasp, as these plants can be toxic.
If your pet has ingested something in the list above or is displaying any of the listed symptoms, please seek veterinary care immediately.
Now, don’t think that Santa Paws can’t stop by and treat all the well-behaved furry friends in your home! There are a range of other goodies you can give your pet, such as pet friendly treats (who doesn’t love using a new recipe for their Kong), a new Christmas toy and even spending some extra quality time with them. Unleash the joyful, festive cheer and enjoy this jolly time with your family and friends – fur-babies always included!
