Tis the Season for Christmas Time Pet Safety!

As the Christmas season fast approaches, many families will soon deck the halls and trim their trees, if they have not done so already! As we gather with others and remember how important family is to all of us, we must recall that our furry friends are a big part of our family too! Even though we may not realize it, along with all of the hustle and bustle of the season comes a plethora of dangers to look out for. I’m going to touch on a number of items, plants, and foods to keep an eye on, and possibly even avoid, depending on the level of “holiday spirit” your pet displays! I’ve taken many a phone call where I’ve asked and heard, “Your cat ate HOW MUCH tinsel?”…or “I didn’t think he would eat the WHOLE bowl of my homemade chocolate candy!,” so we at Blandon Family Veterinary Practice want to express our wishes for your pet’s safety this and every Christmas season!

  • Dangerous Decorations
    • Tinsel is easily swallowed by pets and can easily form severe intestinal blockages. In some cases, Exploratory Surgery is required to remove these obstructions. If you do choose to hang it, try to place it high out of your dog or cat’s reach.
    • Ornaments, especially those made of glass, can become lodged in your pet’s digestive tract. Broken ones can also cause internal bleeding if swallowed, and can cut paw pads if stepped on. Hang any breakable ornaments, or those small enough to be swallowed, out of paw’s reach. Families with highly inquisitive pets should possibly consider investing in larger, softer, or shatter-proof decorations and ornaments.
    • Lights have electrical cords that pets like to chew, which can lead to electrical shock – potentially deadly or with debilitating consequences. Tape down cords or hide them where your pet can’t get to them.
    • Oh Christmas Tree! – You know, that big, sparkly, distracting new thing in the middle of the room? Some pets may not mind it, but others may want to play with (or climb up!) your family’s beautiful tree, and that may not end well… for both your pet AND the tree. Try to make sure the tree has a steady base, and also use a tree skirt to help deter pets from getting at the branches, water, and infrastructure. I’ve always had an artificial tree, but for those of you who have the real deal, beware of using any water additives or fertilizers. Stagnant tree water is a breeding ground for bacteria and your pet could end up with nausea or diarrhea if the water is ingested
  • Poisonous Plants
    • Even when eaten in small quantities, mistletoe can cause your pet excessive drooling and digestive upset. If not taken care of, more serious symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea may manifest. In some extreme cases, mistletoe can cause heart collapse.
    • Holly leaves and berries can cause stomach upset and can be potentially fatal to both dogs and cats.
    • Lillies (most variations) are the #1 flower often used by florists. Just one or two bites from a lily can result in severe acute kidney failure in cats. It is said that even the pollen is highly toxic.
    • Poinsettia Plants are mildly toxic, but still have an irritating sap that can cause blistering in the mouth, as well as an upset stomach in cats and dogs.
    • Yew bushes are not one traditionally cut by people for decorating with evergreen foliage, but just in case you have yews around do not be tempted to use them in decorating.  They are highly toxic to pets and people.
  • Festive Foods
    • Chocolate is the most common toxic treat during the holidays. Chocolate, coffee, and caffeine all contain substances called methylxanthines. When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. As somewhat of a guide, the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. For example, baking chocolate has the highest level of methylxanthines, while dark, milk, and white chocolate have lower, but still very dangerous levels of methylxanthines.  If ANY sort of chocolate is ingested by either dogs or cats, please seek Veterinary attention immediately.
    • Popcorn or cranberry garlands are appetizing to pets, as they can still produce an enticing scent. Dogs, and especially cats, may try to reach this tasty string of garland if not placed high enough!  The biggest problem with such an ingestion is the string.  Strings can cause deadly blockages of the intestines that are difficult to remove surgically.
    • Just a small amount of alcohol can poison your pet. Keep alcoholic drinks out of reach of your pet, and remind your guests to do the same.  Clean up glasses after holiday parties. Pets are often attracted by the sweet taste and smell of certain drinks, especially eggnog.  Remember your pets may weigh half or ten times less than you do, and the effects of alcohol poisoning are inversely that much more dangerous because they’re smaller than you.
    • While you may want your pet to enjoy some extra yummy food during the holidays, make sure they don’t ingest ANY bones. Bones can easily injure the intestine or stomach of your pet, and they can even cause blockages. Make sure waste food and bones are put safely into the trash bin.  The stereotype of bones being a great treat for pets is a nightmare!  If you’ve ever had to be called out of bed at 3:00 AM to come in to remove a life threatening bone blockage from someone’s pet’s intestines… you’d agree.

Well, I hope that I didn’t ruin anyone’s holiday spirit with all of that information! We want your pets to have fun and enjoy the holidays, but rather in the comfort of their own homes, not at the ER! Since it may be helpful to have on hand, I have also added some information below about the Pet Poison Helpline.
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Pet Poison Helpline – 1-800-213-6680. (http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com)
The Pet Poison Helpline is associated with The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. The helpline is staffed by veterinarians and veterinary technicians with special training in animal poisonings; as well as board-certified veterinary toxicologists, internal medicine specialists, and emergency & critical care specialists. This resource is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days of the year. As of the time of writing, the charge for this service is $39.00.
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Please keep these pet safety tips in mind all year round, but especially during and throughout the holidays! All of us here at Blandon Family Veterinary Practice would like to wish all of our clients and friends a very happy and healthy Christmas Season!

Lindsey is looking forward to decorating the office and hanging up any Christmas cards that get sent our way! Feel free to come in and visit us! Our hours are as follows: Mondays & Fridays: 8am – 4pm / Tuesdays & Thursdays: 11am – 7pm / Every Other Saturday: 8am -12noon / Wednesday & Sunday: closed.

If you have any questions about anything you’ve read, please feel free to call us at 610-268-6208 or stop in to visit us! We would be happy to speak with you and answer your questions to the best of our ability!

Lindsey

Written by

Hi there! My name is Lindsey Hart, and I’m very excited to be the smiling face that you’ll see when you visit the reception area at Blandon Family Veterinary Practice! I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful new family-oriented practice with Dr. Estelle, Steve, & the rest of the staff! One of my favorite places is Disney World, and Walt himself said it best. “The most important thing is family.” -- I hope to help your four-legged family members feel like a part of our family here at BFVP!