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'Tis the Season To Be Careful With Your Pet's Safety

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 7, 2008

The holiday's are such a special time of year for us, but make sure it's just as special for your pets. All of the decorations, food, and festivities could become a disaster for them. The following are some safety guidelines for a safe and happy holiday for everyone.
Christmas trees
•Anchor trees securely. A climbing cat or a dog's wagging tails can knock over your tree.

•Be sure that breakable, glass ornaments are well out of reach. The glass and metal fastenings can be stepped on or even swallowed by your pet.

•Tinsel, ribbons, and garland should always be out of reach of pets, especially cats who find them to be great fun. These items can become lodged in their intestinal tract and cause an obstruction resulting in surgery or death.

•Clean up pine needles daily as they can be toxic when eaten by your pet.

•Prevent your pet from drinking water in the tree stand if you have added preservative chemicals (this is a particularly favorite watering hole at my house). These can be poisonous to pets. Also, stagnant water can contain bacteria, which may lead to vomiting and diarrhea if ingested.

Holiday house plants
Although they are a beautiful addition to the holiday, many plants can harm your pets. Keep these most common potentially dangerous plants well out of reach.

•Lilies can be deadly to cats, and many types can cause cats to have kidney failure.

•Poinsettias, while not always deadly, can upset your pet's digestive system.

•Mistletoe (especially the berries) is very toxic to your pet, can cause stomach upset, and can cause fatal heart problems.

•Holly can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and lethargy.

•Certain types of ivy, such as English ivy, can also cause severe harm.

•Amaryllis can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

•Hibiscus can cause diarrhea.

Lights, candles and fragrance

•Keep lighting and extension cords secured or covered to avoid chewing. There are now pet-proof extension cords available, or you can spray cords with products such as Bitter Apple or Chew Stop.

•While candles are fragrant, they are enticing to your pets. This is a potential fire hazard if knocked over by you excited pet, and many are unaware that the fumes can be harmful to birds.

•Liquid potpourri and sachets can be very dangerous. They can cause skin or oral damage to your pet and may cause illness or death if ingested.

Food, glorious food

•Chocolate is extremely harmful to pets and can cause neurological, as well as organ or heart damage, often resulting in death. Keep unsweetened baking chocolate, especially dark chocolate, out of reach.

•Coffee can be dangerous to animals. Clean up all coffee grounds and whole beans.

•Always emply ashtrays. Nicotine can increase the heart rate leading to collapse, and even death.

•Onions are toxic. They inhibit an animal's ability to coagulate blood. Foods containing high amounts of onion powder should also be avoided.

•Limit table scraps, and let your guests know as well. Traditional holiday foods such as turkey, ham and other fatty foods can cause pancreatitis in some animals.

•Never give your pet alcohol at any time of year.

•Again, never give regular cooked bones to your pet. Bones can be damaging to intestinal tracts. Poultry bones can be especially dangerous or even fatal to animals.

•Grapes and raisins can lead to loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and acute renal failure in dogs resulting in death.

•Dispose thoroughly of the string that ties up the turkey or roast, as well as the little red "pop-up" thermometers. Dogs and cats often eat these tasty things, causing intestinal blockage (my dogs literally dig them out of the trash). Take them to the outside recepticle promptly.

If you suspect your pet has gotten into a potentially poisonous substance, call your veterinarian immediately! Have the telephone number to your local emergency animal hospital readily available, as well as the number for the National Animal Poison Control Center: 888-426-4435

You may want to keep your pet in a sererate room as guests come and go. The shelters are over-whelmed with pets who have bolted out the door during all the exciting comings and goings at the holiday.

Make the holidays special for your pet...Provide them extra love and attention to let them know they're not forgotten.

•Take your dog for an extra walk - it'll help both you and your pet relieve some of that holiday stress and is good for you both.

•Keep a supply of pet treats handy and reach for one before you're tempted to toss your pet that little bite of "people" food.

•Let your pet get into the gift-giving spirit by making a donation (e.g., food, litter, toys) to your local shelter in his name.

Joanne Schoch is the executive director of the Humane Society of the Nature Coast, Inc.

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