The holidays can be a time of festivities and fun—unless you end up having issues with your pet. Let’s talk about some potential pet hazards to be aware of this holiday season.
-
Decorations:
Holiday decorations are beautiful, but if eaten by your dog or cat, it can cause problems. Garland or ribbon, if eaten, can cause an intestinal obstruction/blockage as the intestines try to pass the string material. Instead, the material will start to accordion and bunch up around it. Surgery is required to remove the material and sometimes damage is severe.
Glass ornaments can cause injury to the mouth, throat, and GI tract if played with or eaten. Most of our seasonal flowers and plants (like Poinsettias, Amaryllis flowers, Mistletoe, and evergreen trees) will cause GI issues (drooling, vomiting, diarrhea) if small amounts are consumed. Large amounts could cause more intense symptoms or become an intestinal blockage.
Lilies aren’t a common winter holiday flower, but they are extremely toxic to cats and are worth mentioning so they can be avoided. Either eliminating these items or preventing your dog or cat’s access to them is the best advice to avoid potential problems.
-
Food:
The holidays are usually full of great food, but some can be harmful to your pets. Chocolate is a favorite holiday treat, making chocolate toxicity a common occurrence. Dark chocolate has more of the toxic ingredient (theobromine) than milk chocolate, and if enough is consumed, it can result in tremors, seizures and death.
If your pet eats raw bread dough, there is potential for it to rise/expand in their stomachs and cause bloat or blockage. Since the process of yeast “rising” involves fermentation, alcohol is produced, which can become toxic for dogs.
The best way to prevent these toxicities is to make sure pets do not have access to these (or any) foods. Always keep these items secured and out of reach. Keep in mind pets can and will jump onto tables or counters, even if they haven’t done so before. Once a dog patient of mine chewed into a suitcase that had chocolate in it, illustrating what lengths they will go to get holiday goodies!
A good number to have on hand is ASPCA pet poison control (888-426-4435). If your pet eats something they shouldn’t, you can call this number for assistance and advice.
-
Stress:
All the hustle and bustle of the holidays can be stressful, especially for our pets. Changing schedules, house guests coming and going, different smells (and the inability to understand the meaning of any of it) can be very stressful for our pets. As best you can, try to maintain structure and predictability in your daily life.
In times where change can’t be avoided, provide your pet with a safe haven inside your house where they can find a respite from the holiday chaos. In this safe space, it is important to have their resources (food, water, and litter boxes for cats) available.
Providing extra attention and a calm demeanor is important during this time as well. All the above can put some pets into flight mode, where they attempt to flee the stressful environment. Make sure no doors or windows are accidentally left open while guests are coming and going.
If your pet doesn’t have a microchip, now is a good time to consider having that placed. There are also GPS tracking collars available for pets, so if they do happen to get loose, you can track their location to help find them.
Wishing you a toxin-free, calm and emergency-free holiday season!
My name is Dr. Heather Smith and I have been a small animal veterinarian in the greater Seattle area for 20 years. I am medical director and veterinarian for Felix&Fido – Issaquah. We are reinventing veterinary care by utilizing technology and leveraging the talents of our DVMs, LVTs and assistants in a way that supports and honors pets, pet parents and the veterinary care team. We look forward to serving you!
Felix&Fido Pet of the Month Photo Contest
Submit a photo of your pet for the chance to win Pet of the Month and a prize from Felix&Fido.
