Happy Holidays! The Season Is Full Of Pet Pitfalls

• No Chocolate. Dogs can be made extremely ill by chocolate. Signs may include hyperactivity and vomiting.

• Watch Out for Tinsel and String Both Cats and dogs get into wrappings and trimmings for the tree. Do your best to keep these out of animal’s reach.

• Holiday Plants can be toxic to pets

Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree is  usually the center piece of most of our homes during the holidays. But, we shouldn’t let their beauty cover up the fact that they are still mildly toxic to our animals. With the many species of trees that we bring into our homes, fir tree oil can irritate our pets mouths and stomachs. Symptoms of consumption include excessive drooling or vomiting. Make sure to also clean up tree needles since they’re not the easiest to digest for anyone. 

Too many needles can cause GI irritation, vomiting, gastrointestinal obstruction or punctures. Be aware your animal won’t be drastically affected if they eat a few fallen pieces from the tree but make sure it’s not a regular snack that may eventually cause serious consequences.

Lilies and Daffodils

Aside from the holiday treats and  baked goods that you’ll be gifted, be aware that any bouquets or plant kits thatinclude lilies and daffodils are very harmful to cats and dogs. Plants that are in the lily, Narcissus, and daffodil families are very toxic to our pets. Symptoms include gastrointestinal signs, cardiac arrhythmia, kidney failure, convulsions and even death.

Poinsettia Plant

There have been talks that these red beauties are extremely toxic, however this assumption has been dubbed an urban legend dating back to 1919. The sap of Poinsettias are known to be mildly toxic and irritating, causing nausea or vomiting when consumed but it does not cause death.  So it would still be a good idea to keep your curious four-legged friends away from these holiday bloomers to save them from getting a belly ache.

Mistletoe and Holly

Hanging the mistletoe and holly in your doorway and hard to reach places may not be a bad idea. Even though we adorn both of these holiday trimmings in any spot we need more holiday cheer, both are very toxic for our pets. If you find your fuzzy fellow making these a mid-day snack call your vet or poison control as soon as possible for advice.