Keep Your Pets Safe this Holiday Season

November 2, 2009

By Jesse Larsen and Naomi Pollack, Harmony Matters

Sharing our homes with animals brings both joy and challenges to keep our pets safe from dangerous objects, foods, and products. The holidays can be a particularly dangerous time for pets. Keep these tips about food, decorations, and stress in mind to help the holidays be an enjoyable and safe time for your pets.

Food

Heavily seasoned and/or holiday foods, including fatty meats, gravies, poultry skin, bones, chocolate and alcohol can cause illness, vomiting and diarrhea, or pancreatitis and other toxic reactions.
Candy wrappers, foil pieces and ribbons are appealing to pets and pose a choking hazard.
COOKED BONES ARE DANGEROUS! Please, please don’t feed your pets cooked and/or processed bones, especially poultry bones, which splinter very easily.

Decorations

Wrapped packages and gift wrap are attractive hazards.
String, plastic, cloth and even wrapping paper, if eaten, can lead to intestinal blockage.
Pets can be severely injured by scissors and other items left on floors and tables.
Snow globes can contain antifreeze, which is poisonous to pets.
Light strings, extension cords, plugs, and power strips can be dangerous.
Glass ornaments, and any kind of ornament your pet could chew up or break into sharp pieces, could pose a hazard. Remember, ornaments probably look just like toys to your pets.
Tinsel is particularly tempting to cats, and can block the intestines if ingested.
Bubbling lights, snow sprays, and Styrofoam can be toxic if inhaled or ingested.
Candles can singe the whiskers or tail of a curious pet. Always burn candles under close supervision and keep them out of reach of pets.
Holly, ivy, mistletoe, poinsettias, lilies, pine needles, and other greenery like juniper and cedar boughs range from mildly to extremely poisonous.
Do not let your pets drink the holiday tree water. It may contain fertilizers or bacteria.
Do not put aspirin in the tree water (some people do this in an effort to keep the tree vigorous). If your pet drinks this water, it could be harmful.

Guests and increased activity in the house can be stressful and even frightening to pets. Make sure pets have a safe place to retreat.

Try to disturb their usual sleeping or hiding areas as little as possible.
Make sure they are wearing current I.D. in case they escape out a door when guests come and go.
Reduce stress by keeping feeding and exercise on a regular schedule.
Stress may increase a pet’s need for water. Dogs typically pant more when they feel stressed. Keep fresh water available for them to drink at all times.

When the batteries from smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and other safety devices run low, the devices often emit alert or alarm sounds at frequencies that can be painful and frightening to many pets. If you’re not home when the alert or alarm sounds, this sound can be traumatic to your animals.