December calendars are often filled with happy celebrations with family and friends. But holiday festivities also come with dangers for your furry family members. Since nothing can brighten up your vacation like a trip to the emergency vet clinic, we’re sharing the 12 Dangers of Christmas Pet Vacations. Be aware of these vacation risks and you may avoid going to the pet emergency room.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how beautiful your…
- Branches and twigs
Some cats see a Christmas tree as the ultimate cat toy, complete with a scratching post, branches to climb on, a water bowl (if you have a living tree) and a myriad of hanging toys. Did we mention that some trees come equipped with twinkling lights and chew ropes?
Yes, cats climbing Christmas trees can lead to chaos, not to mention toppled trees and broken ornaments. You can use fishing line or clear nylon sewing thread to secure your tree to the ceiling and/or upper wall to keep it from tipping over when your crafty cat decides to climb up and hide among the branches. Consider placing your Christmas tree in a room with a door that can be closed to keep pets out – and potentially keep out of trouble.
If eaten by cats and dogs, pine needles and sap can cause nausea, vomiting, or damage to the digestive tract. They can also irritate the skin. Consider skipping the Christmas tree food or preservative. Commercial preservatives usually contain small amounts of fertilizer and dextrose (a type of sugar). Although today’s products are less toxic than older products, they can still cause mild vomiting and diarrhea if your pet drinks tree water.
- ornaments
Holiday decorations can pose a variety of hazards, depending on how they are made. Broken ornaments and those with sharp edges can cause lacerations. Small pieces swallowed by a pet can cause intestinal obstruction or even toxicity, especially if the decoration is salt dough.
- Lights (and electrical cords)
Some cats and dogs love to chew on electrical cords, whether the cords run between tree lights or between the light strand and the outlet. To protect your pets, cover exposed cords in a protective enclosure, tape them, or secure them under carpet. Also, turn off and unplug lights when you are away from home. Pets can be shocked or electrocuted by chewing on live electrical cords, which can lead to burns in or around the mouth, difficulty breathing, abnormal heartbeat, seizures, and worse.
- tinsel
Glittering and dangling garlands are very attractive to pets, especially cats, who like to hit them and put them in their mouths. The problem is that if the garland is swallowed, it can cause serious damage to the intestines, as it blocks the intestinal tract. If you suspect your cat – or another pet – has eaten tinsel, contact your veterinarian immediately.
You are mean, Mr. Grinch…
(At least, that’s what your pets may think when you keep this food out of their paws and mouths.)
- Bones and other party scraps
During the holiday season, it’s easy to let the cleaning slip a bit; but that’s exactly what your dog, who can be an opportunistic scavenger, wants you to do. But this is one time you really need to be Mr. Grinch or Mr. Scrooge and clear food scraps from the table and counters so your pets can’t treat themselves.
Many of our holiday treats contain rich, often high-fat foods that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, or potentially pancreatitis in our pets.
Cooked bones of meat, poultry, or fish pose a particularly dangerous threat because they are brittle and more likely to shatter when chewed. If swallowed, shards of bone may become stuck in the throat, stomach or intestines. Or worse, the splinters block the intestines or puncture the digestive tract, allowing the contents of the intestines to seep into the abdomen. It is a painful, life-threatening condition that requires surgery.
Be sure to dispose of carcasses, bones, and anything used to wrap or tie meat (e.g., strings, bags, wrappers) in a closed garbage bag inside a covered garbage can and well secured outside or behind a closed and locked door.
- Chocolate
Chocolate and chocolate-based foods are holiday essentials for many people but are dangerous for dogs and cats. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, two compounds to which dogs and cats are very sensitive. Depending on the type of chocolate, the size of the animal and the amount consumed, chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, high heart rate, abnormal heart rhythm, muscle tremors, seizures and even worse. It’s best to keep all chocolate out of reach of paws – and within reach of yours!
- Sugar-free pastries and sweets (xylitol)
Holiday cookies and candies are tempting treats for us and some dogs. In an attempt to reduce calories or accommodate a diabetic family member, some holiday bakers may use a sugar substitute or artificial sweetener such as stevia or xylitol or ingredients that contain them. While most sugar substitutes aren’t toxic to pets, xylitol can cause life-threatening issues in dogs. Depending on the amount consumed, xylitol can cause low blood sugar (low blood sugar) and even sudden liver failure.
- Alcohol
Most people know not to give alcoholic beverages to their pets, but it’s not the only place to find booze while on vacation. Fruitcake soaked in rum or made with candied fruit soaked in bourbon or brandy can present problems for dogs and cats, not only from alcohol, but also from raisins, raisins and currants. However, most pets that consume alcoholic beverages tend to find alcoholic beverages unattended. Like people, dogs that lap up alcoholic beverages can become intoxicated. Alcohol is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and can quickly affect pets. Signs of alcohol poisoning in dogs include dangerous drops in blood sugar, blood pressure, and body temperature, as well as vomiting, decreased coordination, diarrhea, disorientation, difficulty breathing, tremors and worse.
- Grapes and raisins
Grapes and raisins can be found at most parties, as ingredients in fruit salad, trail mix, and fruitcake. Raisins coated in yogurt or chocolate as snacks or in snack mixes and raisins on appetizer trays can also mean bad news if your dog eats them. To learn more about the dangers of grapes and raisins, check out this article.
Decorate hallways with…
- Sprigs of holly, mistletoe and other festive plants
You might want to think twice before decorating the hallways and rooms of your home with holly, mistletoe, amaryllis and Asiatic lilies. These beauties can be dangerous, even deadly, to cats and dogs. If your dog eats Christmas holly or English holly, the pretty plant with prickly leaves can cause serious gastrointestinal upset (eg, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) and injure your dog’s mouth, causing lip smacking, drooling and excessive head shaking. Dogs that eat small amounts of mistletoe may experience vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. A large amount, however, could lead to slow heart rate, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, and strange behavior.
While many people don’t associate showy, fragrant lilies with the winter holidays, these large, beautiful blooms are actually quite common in holiday bouquets and flower arrangements. If you have a cat, you probably already know that members of the true lily family (Read spp. And daylily spp.) can be fatal. Even a small exposure can lead to acute kidney injury and failure in our feline friends.
So what about poinsettia and Christmas cactus? According to Pet Poison Helpline and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, the potential “poisoning” of pets by poinsettias has been greatly exaggerated; and the Christmas cactus is not toxic to dogs or cats. Still, it’s a good idea to keep these plants away from pets. If chewed or eaten, gastrointestinal disturbances may occur.
- Candles
According to the National Fire Protection Association, approximately 750 house fires each year are accidentally started by the owner’s pet or wild animal. Most pet-related home fires are associated with cooking appliances, but unattended burning candles can also be a factor. So if you light candles, menorahs and luminaries, watch your pets carefully. Dogs and cats are attracted to open flames, but can burn themselves or start a fire if they knock over burning candles. Consider a battery-operated flameless candle to avoid a trip to the pet emergency room or a call to the fire department.
Toyland, Toyland, wonderful world of the land of joy
- Battery operated toys and gadgets
With lots of new toys and gadgets, chances are there are more batteries in the house than usual. Puppies and young dogs often tend to chew (and eat) first and ask questions later, even if the item isn’t food. Larger toys can be chewed on and small parts can be swallowed causing cuts in the mouth and intestinal blockages. If batteries are chewed and swallowed, they can cause chemical burns and blockages.
