SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Keeping your pets safe during the holidays should not be a difficult task… or is it? Here is a simple guide to keep your furry friends away from the emergency vet during the holidays.
Whether you’re visiting or hosting, a good holiday meal is a must at the dinner table. This can sometimes include desserts, fruit or other foods that — although delicious — can be poisonous or even lethal for your pet.
And food is not the only risk that can turn the holidays into an emergency visit to the vet: strings, ribbon, plastics, a menorah or even a Christmas tree can turn a joyful evening backwards.
Here is a helpful guide on how to keep your pets safe during the holidays:
The basics: Food, drinks and leftovers
While you might not purposely try to feed your pet spicy food, chocolate or chicken bones, anyone who has a stubborn animal at home knows that pets will get into places even when you don’t want them to. Avoid pets getting into leftovers by placing your trash can in a safe area, far from your pets’ reach, like a different room.
Keep your cat away from the kitchen counter by placing any leftovers directly in the fridge after you finish eating. Many of the things humans eat could send a cat or a dog directly to the emergency vet, including some drinks, like alcohol. Never give alcohol to your pet.
Wrapping paper and ribbons are a choking hazard
Chewing is usually an activity that pets do to keep themselves busy and their teeth healthy, and while they might have a specific chewing toy, during the excitement of unwrapping presents on Christmas morning, the chance of losing sight of a ribbon, bow or wrapping paper is likely.
Put away wrapping paper, ribbons or bows before your pet can get to them. Just like children, animals oftentimes choke silently, and you might not even notice until it’s too late. Keep this from happening, and put away any paper or ribbons.
Holly, poinsettia… including Christmas trees
According to the National Capital Poison Center, some flowers during the holidays can be toxic to animals if consumed. For example, holly berries are poisonous and can cause injuries if a pet tries to eat their leaves since they are prickly. Another example is the poinsettia, which can cause rashes on the skin or stomach issues. Poinsettia is not deadly, but it should be kept away from your furry friends.
Some Christmas trees that include flocking can also be a source of poisoning for your pets, as cats will often try to climb and bite parts of the tree, consuming the tree’s flocking. Try to keep pets away from biting the tree by training them with positive reinforcements.
And if you have a real tree, water from Christmas tree stands can contain bacteria that can cause an upset stomach and diarrhea.
The list of things your pet cannot eat goes on. You can find more information here.
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