Dear Reader,

Our beloved pets enrich our lives every single day so it is only natural to want to include them in holiday festivities. While it’s fine to include them, it is important to be aware of pet safety hazards that loom during the holiday season.

Don’t allow guests to feed human food to your pets. There are many holiday foods, including fatty meats, gravies and deserts that can pose dangers. Poultry bones are particularly troublesome because they can splint, form sharp points and lodge in the roof of an animal’s mouth leading to a choking episode or infection. Uncooked meat, fish and poultry can contain disease-causing bacteria, such as E.coli and parasites. These uncooked foods should not be given to dogs or cats. For your own health as well as your pet’s be sure to wash utensils that have been in contact with raw meat.

Chocolate contains a substance called “theobromine” which can cause serious problems for dogs ranging from diarrhea to seizures and death. Unsweetened baking chocolate and dark chocolate are the worst culprits.

Here are some additional tips to keep our four-legged friends happy and healthy during the holidays:

• An influx of holiday guests can cause a pet to become frightened or upset. If your pet seems nervous, take him to a quiet room so he can feel secure. Dogs typically pant more when they feel stressed. Make sure they have plenty of fresh water to drink.
• Bear in mind that pets can easily slip out through an open door when guests come and go. Be sure that your pets are wearing their identification tags.
• Christmas trees are tempting to dogs and cats. Dogs love to chew on trees and cats love to climb them. Make sure holiday trees are well-secured. If you have a live tree, make sure your pets do not drink the tree water.
• Holiday ornaments should be kept out of pets’ reach. Pets are attracted to shiny ornaments and are likely to break them and ingest the glass, which can lead to serious medical emergencies. Pets, especially cats, often want to eat tinsel, which can block the intestines.
• Avoid toxic decorations. Bubbling lights contain fluid that can be inhaled or ingested, snow sprays can cause reactions when inhaled and water in snow globes may contain toxic organisms.
• When you are not home, make sure that all tree lights are out and unplugged. If a pet bites into a live wire serious shock can occur.

Each year, millions of people buy Christmas gifts for their pets. Make sure any toy that you select for your pet has no small parts that can come off and be swallowed. If you buy your pet a sweater, make sure it doesn’t have buttons, rhinestones or other small embellishments that could be harmful if swallowed.

Make sure you spend plenty of time with your pet during the hectic holiday season. They will need some quiet time with you. With a little planning the holiday season can be happy and healthy for you and your furry friends.

Yours in good health,

Sheila McCormick
Editor, IVL Health Watch