Holiday pet safety

The holidays are usually a wonderful time of year, but they can be deadly for our canine and feline friends. The excitement and hustle and bustle of these times can cause unrest and even abnormal behavior.
Those of us who decorate our homes need to be aware of how interesting these beautiful items look to our pets. Any item used in holiday decorations can be dangerous. From the Christmas tree to the electrical cords to the tinsel and flocking. We need to look at it from our pet’s point of view.
What’s not to like about bright shiny lights? All the ornaments look just like toys. The tinsel and garlands will make great dental floss. And the popcorn and chocolate ornaments are just recipes for disaster.
Here are other holiday hazards to watch out for.
Holiday foods – fatty foods, like meat trimmings, poultry skin and gravy may cause severe stomach upset and even pancreatitis, a sometimes life threatening disease.
Bones of any kind are off limits, as are chocolate, eggnog, alcohol, nuts, any foods sweetened with the sugar substitute Zylitol, and of course, spicy foods.
The problems often occur after meals, when everyone is relaxing and the pets sneak into the kitchen and clean up the leftovers!
Decorations – The Christmas tree itself is a possible danger, especially to a new pup or kitty. Be sure to stabilize the tree so it can’t fall over. Some people even put the tree in a playpen to avoid dangers to new pets and small children. Electrical cords, decorative plants such as ivy, holly, mistletoe, and poinsettia, candles and fireplace flames, ribbons and wrapping paper and just about anything else inquiring noses may find should be looked at as a potential hazard.
Visitors and parties – Heavy trafficking of friends and family can bring stress to our pets. Open doors and gates can lead to missing pets, so make sure they’re wearing legible ID tags and they are microchipped. Keeping pets in a closed bedroom or their crate may be the safest during entertaining.
Cold Weather – Pets left outdoors during these cold nights may have problems. If they must stay outside make sure they have a shelter of some sort and plenty of fresh water. Watch that the water does not freeze.
Antifreeze is extremely toxic. Do not let your cats or dogs anywhere near it and clean up leaks and spills with extra care as soon as they occur. Cats love to crawl under a nice warm automobile hood and that can mean disaster. On a cold morning, it is a good idea to knock on your hood before starting your car.
However you celebrate the holidays keep those four-legged family members included but safe. And have a wonderful new year!