Pet Safety Tips For The Holidays
For many, the holidays can seem a bit chaotic. There’s so much to do between buying gifts, preparing meals, and entertaining extra visitors, it can be easy to overlook how the festivities are affecting our four legged friends. The Tillou Veterinary Hospital wants to remind you that your pets might need a little extra care this time of year.
This season can be stressful on pets if they’re not used to extra people visiting for extended times. Additionally, with all the decorations and extra food floating around, it can feel like a foreign environment. Here’s a few pet safety tips to keep in mind this year from your friendly Hamburg vet, Dr. Tillou.
Try Not to Over-Decorate
Decorating for the Holidays is a cherished pastime for many families across the nation. However, in an attempt to bring in that festive flare, many people tend to forget about pet safety. Decorations like ribbons and tinsel are often enticing to pets and may wind up eaten. It’s easy for these materials to get stuck in the intestines and can result in serious damage. If you can, you should avoid these decorations altogether or at least keep them in a safe place out of your pet’s reach.
Beware of the Cords
Needless to say, pets and electricity aren’t a good mix. Thankfully there are some things you can do this season to save your pet from an unexpected shock. Try keeping light strings unplugged when not in use or when you’re out of the house. Additionally, you can try covering up stray cords that are close to the ground.
Holiday Foods
For many, the holidays are a time to indulge in some of our favorite, most satisfying foods. Unfortunately our pets aren’t built to withstand these rich foods and many are actually toxic, even in small doses. Be sure to remind your guests not to feed from the table, even if your pets are used to eating human food from time to time.
Candies and Chocolate
Every pet owner knows how poisonous chocolate can be for dogs. Of course owners will be careful with chocolate but candies and other sweet treats should be on the radar as well. Some sweets may contain a dangerous sugar substitute, Xylitol, that can mess up your pet’s insulin levels. Make sure your pet stays on their normal diet to make sure they stay safe.
Holiday Plants
Many like to decorate their houses with seasonal flora this time of year. Plants like poinsettias, mistletoe, and of course pine needles often find their way into our homes. If you have curious pets though, they may be inclined to eat these harmful products. Keep these plants up and out of the way when possible and make sure to vacuum regularly to clean up any stray pine needles.
