Holiday Safety Tips for Pets

With the Christmas and New Years' holidays fast approaching, we wanted to remind everyone of some very important tips to keep your four-legged friends safe and healthy: (from Robin Tierney, Partnership for Animal Welfare )

• Many holiday plants can lead to health problems in dogs and cats. Among the plants to keep out of reach are holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and lillies.
• Snow globes often contain antifreeze, which is poisonous to pets.
• Pine needles, when ingested, can puncture holes in a pet's intestines, so be sure and keep areas free of pine needles.
• The extra cords of holiday lights can look like chew toys to pets. Tape down or cover cords to help avoid shocks, burns or other serious injuries.
• Anchor Christmas trees to the ceiling with a string to keep them from falling on pets.
• Do not let pets drink the holiday tree water. Some may contain fertilizers, and stagnant tree water may contain bacteria.
• Do not put aspirin in the tree water (some folks do it thinking it will keep the tree more vigorous)..if a pet ingests the aspirin-laced water, their health or even life may be at risk.
• Pets, particularly cats, may be tempted to eat tinsel, which can block the intestines. Hang tinsel high to keep out of reach of pets.
• Keep ornaments out of reach of pets. Ingestion of any ornament, which might look like toys to pets, can result in life-threatening emergencies. Put away toys after children open their gifts. Small plastic pieces and rubber balls are common causes of choking and intestinal blockage in dogs.
• Keep candles on high shelves. Use fireplace screens to avoid burns.
• Holiday guests and other activity can be very stressful and even frightening to pets. Make sure pets have a safe retreat in the home, and are wearing current ID tags in case the escape out a dog when guests come and go.
• Do not let guests feed your pets human food. There are many holiday foods, including fatty meats, gravies, poultry skin, bones, chocolate and alcohol, that can cause illnesses ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to highly serious pancreatitis and other toxic reactions. In addition, candy wrappers, aluminum foil pieces and ribbons can choke pets.
• If you suspect your pet has eaten something toxic, call your veterinarian and/or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's 24-hour emergency hotline at 1-888-3-ANI-HELP.
• Now is also a good time to check smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and other safety devices around the home.

We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!