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Dear Pawrents,
The holidays are rapidly approaching, but remember, I’m a dog. I don’t know what that means. All I see is more activity in the house, new smells and everything that goes with the holidays. Here are some helpful tips to keep me safe during this festive season.
Cords: Chewing on cords can result in serious injuries, such as electrical shock and oral burns. When decorating this season, make cords less accessible by using cord organizers, tape and electrical cord covers. You can also try using a bitter, pet-friendly cord spray to keep gnawing at a minimum.
Candles: Candles set a festive mood that a curious pet can disrupt should the candle be knocked over and start a fire. Pets can also get burned if they get too close. Smoke can also potentially irritate your pet’s respiratory system, especially if they have asthma or other respiratory issues. Try battery-operated, flameless candles as a safer alternative.
Live Trees: Keep pets away from the water. Evergreens contain harmful chemicals in the bark and sap, which can leach into the tree’s water supply. It’s important to change the water regularly and not let your pet drink from the stand. Laying a wire screen over the base can help keep your pet out of the water.
Clean up evergreen needles. The oil on pine needles can irritate pets. Sharp needles can also puncture the digestive tract if swallowed, or they can lodge in the intestines and require surgery to remove. Make sure to sweep up needles that have dropped to the floor regularly.
Ornaments: Glass ornaments can easily be knocked down and broken, leading to cuts. Salt-dough ornaments (even once they’re dry) can seem tasty and tempting for pets, but too much salt causes dehydration or salt poisoning. Be mindful of where decorations hang and keep breakable or dangerous ones out of your pet’s reach.
Plants and Flowers: Despite popular belief, poinsettias are only mildly toxic to pets and may not require medical attention unless clinical signs such as drooling, vomiting and diarrhea are severe. However, many of the other festive flowers and plants, such as amaryllis, chrysanthemums, evergreen, holly, ivy, juniper, lilies and mistletoe ARE dangerous to our furry friends. Steer clear of bringing these flowers and plants into your home or ensure they are out of reach of your pets. Keep in mind that even non-toxic flowers can cause vomiting, choking and diarrhea if too many are ingested.
Food: Many of us make food a big part of our festivities, but did you know many foods we enjoy can be dangerous to pets? If any of these foods are on your holiday menu, you’ll want to take extra care to keep them away from pets.
- Alcohol. Alcohol can be poisonous to pets and, in some cases, can lead to a coma or death. Even seemingly harmless amounts can be lethal. As little as one ounce of alcohol can kill a small cat or dog. Alcohol can also be found in some baked goods, like fruit cake, so keep those away from pets as well.
- Bones. Although it may seem natural to give your dog a bone, bones are a choking hazard, and they can splinter and cause an obstruction or laceration in the digestive system. If you give your dog a bone, make it a biscuit!
- Candy. Hard candies are choking hazards or can cause obstruction. Sugar-free candy and gum often contain xylitol. When dogs ingest xylitol, it triggers the rapid release of insulin, which can create a dramatic and dangerous drop in blood sugar.
- Chocolate. Chocolate contains fat, caffeine and theobromine, which is most toxic to pets. The darker the chocolate, the higher the concentration of theobromine, and the more dangerous it is for your pet.
- Dough. Unbaked bread dough can be surprisingly appealing to pets, mainly if it contains salt. Ingested yeast dough can rise inside a pet’s digestive tract, blocking or rupturing internal organs and potentially causing seizures and respiratory failure.
- Meat. Fatty meats and poultry skin can cause gastrointestinal issues. If your pet eats a lot, it can lead to pancreatitis. Even if you don’t share table scraps, some pets are known to table and counter surf, so remove plates when you’re done eating. Place trash in a secure area as well.
- Other ingredients. Even foods that aren’t the main star of the meal can cause an issue for your pet. For instance, onions can cause blood cell damage in dogs and cats. Macadamia nuts can be toxic and cause neurological problems such as seizures. And many holiday baked goods contain raisins; raisins and grapes can cause kidney failure in dogs.
Gifts: Keep food gifts up and out of reach. Wrapping paper, ribbons and bows can pose a potential choking hazard.
Finally, the holidays can be stressful for you and your pet. Ringing doorbells, extra visitors and bustling activity can cause anxiety. Give them a safe space to escape from the noise and commotion.
Make sure IDs are up to date. You may find your door is open more than usual with incoming guests and package deliveries, increasing the chance that your pet could dash out the door. Ensure your pet’s chip and identification are updated in case they become lost. And, whenever possible, put your pet in their safe place before you open the door.
Thanks for loving me and keeping me safe.
Sincerely,
Your hound
Nancy Lynberg is Operations Director of Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption and can be reached at nancy@sagreys.org.
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