12/14/2012
PET SAFETY AT HOLIDAYS FROM PET USA
Do You Know Your Pet’s Holiday Plans?
The holidays are a busy time. For a brief couple of months, there are parties to plan and attend, decorations to take out of storage, gifts to buy and wrap, and family to endure. There is a lot going on, but you’re not the only one going through it – so are your four-legged friends. The holiday spirit can pose many dangers to your pets.
Decorations
Trees: If you set up a tree in your home, you know that it’s loaded with things your pet will find interesting: lights, glass ornaments, tinsel, ribbons, etc. Make sure that you set tree decorations high enough to keep your pet from reaching them. Tinsel and ribbons (in which cats are particularly interested) can cause choking and intestinal blockage. Pine needles can puncture intestines, so keep the area clean. Secure the tree to the ceiling from the top in order to keep it from falling should your pet be truly determined to access those high-up decorations.
Lights: The danger with holiday lights is clear: risk of electrocution. Even if your pet isn’t ordinarily a chewer, new and interesting things in the home may persuade them to make an exception. As with your tree decorations, ensure that decorative light strings have been securely anchored into position and out of your pet’s reach.
Plants: Many common holiday plants, such as poinsettias, lilies, holly, and mistletoe are poisonous to both humans and animals. Because as humans we generally avoid eating household plants, we may forget that having them accessible to our curious pets can pose the hazard of poisoning. Keep them out of your pet’s reach, or if at all possible, substitute them with a silk or plastic version.
Other decorations: Some other hazardous decorations include: lit candles, snow globes (which may contain toxic substances such as Salmonella or antifreeze), spray snow, potpourri, and ceramic knickknacks. The same principle applies; make them as inaccessible to your pets as possible.
