Pet Holiday Safety Tips

[EsmeraldaX]

Hi all,

As the holidays are fast approaching us, I wanted to share this list of pet safety tips with you all. If you know of any others, please add them!

from http://www.veterinarypartner.com

Be careful how you deck your halls! The holiday season is generally a time of family togetherness in which even our pets participate. One’s thoughts generally are far from thoughts of injury; however, one must be aware of some important seasonal hazards in order to insure a happy holiday season.

RIBBONS & TINSEL

These are of special interest to playful cats and kittens who see these materials as toys (or prey) to be chased, pounced upon, chewed or swallowed. While chasing and pouncing pose no health threats, chewing and swallowing do, as these strings or “linear foreign bodies” can catch in the GI tract, leading to bunching of intestine as the body tries in vain to move the string or ribbon through. This is a life-threatening condition requiring surgery for correction. Supervise animals who play with string closely.

ELECTRIC LIGHT CORDS

These are also tempting to cats who like to play with string as well as to puppies who are teething and interested in chewing. If a pet bites through an electrical cord, it could result in a severe burn to the tongue which causes the pet’s lung to fill with fluid, causing respiratory distress. This is also an emergency requiring immediate veterinary attention.

CHOCOLATE

Many people do not realize that chocolate can be a poison. Unsweetened baking chocolate carries a much higher dose of the toxin “theobromine” than does milk chocolate, but even normal milk chocolate can be dangerous; a small dog sharing candy can wind up in big trouble. Clinical signs of chocolate poisoning include hyperexcitability, nervousness, vomiting, and diarrhea and death.

POINSETTIA

Consuming this festive-looking plant can be irritating to the mouth and stomach of the dog or cat that chews on or eats it. Contrary to popular belief, poinsettia is not specifically toxic.

MISTLETOE

The fact that there are several types of mistletoe makes it difficult to predict the clinical signs of poisoning. Some mistletoes produce only stomach upset while others may lead to liver failure or seizuring. Consider mistletoe to be a hazardous substance and keep it inaccessible to pets and children.

COOKING

Keep pets out of the kitchen during the hustle and bustle of the season. The last thing you want is for someone you love to get underfoot and get burned from spillage.

DIETARY INDISCRETION

We all like to include our pets in Holiday meals along with the rest of the family, but try to keep in mind that sudden rich diet changes are likely to upset a pet’s stomach. Vomiting and diarrhea are not uncommon. If leftovers are of an especially fatty nature, the pancreas may become inflamed and overloaded. This condition is serious and may require hospitalization.

 

[stinkerbelle]

ahh...tinsel.

yes, we had a stupid dog growing up...we had shiny...uh...poop (we used the S word) all over the yard. hehehe

but yes - we avoided tinsel after that christmas!

 

[Mom2Ashli]

We caught my Greyhound the first year we had her "RED PAWED".
She was picking the Apples off the tree and eating them red paint and ball on the inside. One look at her paws and her face and she was busted. Looked like someone put lipstick all over her face and her little paws were painted red.

 

[SetzKitten]

The first year I had my St. Bernard (he was 10 when I got him) he ate the glass bulbs and the lights off the christmas tree and half the figures in the nativity set. He survived, but was cut pretty badly. Needless to say, we had no Christmas tree for the 5 years he was with us.

 

[Crankyshank]

Mine are surprisingly good at Christmastime. Except for the little one (pictured below) chewed the ear off my moose ornament and the leg off of my wooden bear one from the Xmas tree shop.
The only problems we have is that my older beagle loves to sleep under the christmas tree. She will literally move her bed so she can sleep under it.
Before we bought our house, we used to have the tree in the corner and it had to be secured to a hook in wall because she kept knocking it over trying to sleep under it. Now the tree takes up the entire dining room so she has plenty of room

 

[Mom2Ashli]

My Cat is the one that has the most issues with the tree. She find it fun to run by and wack all the things that hang. Than hide in the back and see if she can climb it.