Keeping Your Pet Safe at Home During the Holiday Season

The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for us. We’re cleaning or painting the house and putting up new curtains; baking black cake and making sorrel; writing lists to Santa and shopping for gifts; decorating the tree and buying the turkey or ham. In the hustle and bustle, important little things often get neglected, such as our pets. We may not be as vigilant and accidents can and do happen. Here are some tips to help make this festive period just as joyous and peaceful for your pet:

• Don’t forget your pet. Holiday parties and gatherings can mean lots of commotion which can be fun for you, but not for your pet. A lot of people in your home, and changes to the environment as decorations get put up and furniture gets shifted around can create stress. Many pets are intimidated by loud music, boisterous people and noise-makers so consider exercising the animal and feeding him (a tired pet with a full belly is more likely to sleep well) before putting him into a quiet room or crate for the night.

• Increased activity may mean that your pet’s daily routine gets disrupted. Ensure that you stick to his feeding, exercising and play schedule or you will cause undue frustration and stress.

• If your pet gets scared by loud noises, warn your guests not to set off fireworks or party-poppers and keep your pet securely inside a den-like area.

• Christmas trees are considered to be mildly toxic. The fir tree oils can irritate the mouth and stomach, causing excessive drooling or vomiting; and the tree needles are not easily digested causing gastrointestinal irritation, vomiting, gastrointestinal obstruction or puncture. Artificial trees are also dangerous when eaten: the synthetic material may release toxins and since it is not easily digested can cause intestinal obstruction.

• Bright ornamental plants can be hard to resist but many are poisonous to pets. The leaves and stems of poinsettias cause irritation, nausea and vomiting; the berries and leaves of holly are moderate to very toxic; mistletoe is severely toxic; hibiscus may cause vomiting and bloody diarrhoea if ingested; and plants of the lily family are very toxic causing gastrointestinal upsets, cardiac arrhythmias, kidney failure, convulsions and death.

• Supervise your pet when he is near the Christmas tree and try to place ornaments high up, away from curious little paws that will be attracted by the shiny, sparkling objects. Tinsel is not toxic but pets can choke on it. Angel-hair (spun glass) and artificial snow are mildly toxic and can cause irritation of the eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract.

• Replace metal ornament hooks with tightly knotted fabric 1/4 inch ribbons, light-weight twine or yarn to slip easily over the branches of the tree.

• All other decorations should be carefully placed so that the pets cannot pull or scratch off any small pieces to swallow.

• Cover or tack down electrical cords; and be careful with lights: pets are attracted to the colours and blinking lights can keep an animal in awe for hours.

• Keep gift ribbons and bows out of sight.

• Resist the temptation to tie ribbons around pets’ necks for the holidays. The ribbon can get caught on objects resulting in the choking or strangling.

• If you use candles, make sure to supervise your pet at all times. Pets are attracted to bright lights and can get serious burns or knock over the candle causing your house to go up in flames.

• Candy and chocolates abound at Christmas time and should be kept out of reach of your pet. If the foil wrappers on candies are swallowed they can cause internal injuries (the foil edge can be as sharp as a razor); and chocolate is poisonous to dogs and cats.

• Other holiday treats such as alcoholic beverages; rich, fatty food scraps; bones; grapes and raisins; onions; highly seasoned foods and dairy products can be harmful or toxic to your pet. Too varied a diet will lead to upset tummies and a breakdown of the pet’s normal eating habit and you may find he is reluctant to go back to his ordinary diet. Caution your guests and kids against giving the pet special treats and try not to give in to those big, pleading eyes. Give a healthy treat such as a raw carrot or an apple.

• Holiday costumes may be cute but be wary of costumes which have rubber bands to keep them securely in place on the pet. If rubber bands are accidentally left on the pet after the fun of dressing up is over, the pet could chew off and swallow them, causing choking or intestinal injuries; or the bands can become embedded into the pet's flesh restricting blood flow.

• Remember not to give a pet as a gift for Christmas. The first weeks of a new home can be extremely traumatic and it is better to wait until the flurry of the holidays is over when you can bring your new pet home to peace and quiet. You will also have more time to spend raising your pet the proper way. The positive energy we emit when we are filled with the spirit of Christmas flows into our pets and they want to join in the fun. They are naturally curious about what is making us happy and can get into trouble when noses, mouths and paws end up where they do not belong. Safeguard your pet this Christmas and remember, since all veterinary clinics are closed on Christmas Day, get your registered veterinarian’s contact number in case of an emergency.

written by Kristel Marie Ramnath

Finally - not sure what to get someone for a last-minute gift?  Think safety - a fire extinguisher or plug-in carbon monoxide detector is relatively inexpensive, shows that you care and may even save a life.

Merry Christmas!