How to Avoid Holiday Pet Hazards

The holiday season is a joyful time, but it's also a time when pet owners must be aware of holiday dangers for dogs, cats and other pets. A few simple steps can help to make the holidays safe for dogs, cats and other pets.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A Kennel, Spare Bedroom or Other Place to Safely Confine a Pet.
• Pet-Friendly Holiday Decorations
• Non-Toxic Holiday Plants
• The Dedication to Look Out for Holiday Hazards throughout the Holiday Season!

1. Get a crate, kennel or pet-proof a spare bedroom or other location that will serve as a "safe room" for the cat, dog or other pets during holiday gatherings. Holiday parties and holiday dinners are dangerous times for pets, who may be exposed to children who interact with the pet inappropriately, leading to dog bites. Guests may also leave potentially toxic foods - like chocolate or bones leftover from a meal - lying within a dog's reach. Cats and dogs can also slip out the door and escape when the guests are arriving and departing. To avoid all these hazards, keep pets confined to ensure safety and to minimize stress for the pet during holiday parties and dinners.

2. When cooking for a holiday meal, limit pets' access to the kitchen. Holiday cooking can be stressful as it is; having a dog or cat running around the kitchen will only pose dangers to the pets and to the cook, who may accidentally trip over a dog or cat who gets under foot while carrying a food item. This can lead to burns, cuts from broken glass, and even broken bones for the pet if the human lands on top of the pet during a fall. Dogs and cats may also try to steal potentially deadly bones or fat trimmings (which cause potentially deadly pancreatitis in dogs and cats) from the trash while the chef is busy cooking. So be sure to throw away all potentially dangerous trash items in a covered outside trash receptacle too.

3. The holiday season is prime time for pet poisonings. Holiday candies, food items inside a wrapped holiday gift, a plate of food left on a coffee table by a guest, and the trash can are all sources of potentially poisonous food items for cats and dogs. Keep an eye out for these toxic foods and food-related dangers during the holiday season. In the event of an emergency, know where the nearest 24-hour veterinary hospital is located keep the ASPCA's Poison Control Center's number on-hand: 888-426-3325.

4. Be cautious when bringing plants into the home, as plants are a common holiday hazard for pets. Many holiday plants can be acutely toxic to pets. These toxic holiday plants include mistletoe, poinsettia and holly berries. See the link below for an article that lists toxic plants for pets.

5. During a holiday gathering, keep jackets and purses out of the pet's reach. Chewing gum, breath mints and candies are often found in a jacket pocket or purse, and these food items can be deadly if they contain an artificial sweetener called Xylitol.

6. Avoid using breakable glass ornaments and holiday decorations. Pet owners should also avoid tinsel and garland, as this can cause intestinal obstructions and other gastrointestinal issues. Also secure Christmas trees from mischievous pets by affixing guide wires to the tree. Secure the guide wires to hooks that can be temporarily placed on the wall; this will prevent the Christmas tree from getting knocked over by a pet! Also avoid using edible holiday decorations - they may just end up as your pet's next snack!

Tips & Warnings

• If you are placing gifts under the Christmas tree, ask the gift giver whether the gift contains any food items that may cause the dog to open the gift and eat the contents.
• When guests are staying at your home during the holidays, ask the guests to keep all food items, chewing gum, etc. out of the dog's reach (i.e. in a closet or in a drawer) to avoid pet poisoning incidents.
• Always keep the ASPCA Poison Control Number (888-426-3325) and the number for the nearest 24-hour veterinary hospital on-hand in the event of an emergency.

Resources

• Toxic Foods for Dogs
• Toxic Plants for Dogs and Cats
• More Holiday Hazards for Cats and Dogs
• Thanksgiving Hazards for Dogs and Cats
• Holiday Tips for Dog Owners
• More Toxic Food Items for Dogs
• Holiday Pancreatitis in Dogs
• Gift Ideas for a Dog or Dog Owner
• Gift Ideas for a Cat or Cat Owner
• Prevent Dogs and Cats from Knocking Over the Christmas Tree

[Created2Share]

on 11/24/2008 Hi Mia! Thanks for this wonderful information. I have posted it with credit to you at Gather.com on my puppy website. Please let me know if you prefer I do not post and I will remove it. You can view it at www.lhasaz4u.com under puppy tails on the left hand navigation bar of my site.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

[wildcat65]

on 11/20/2008 Very good. You forgot 1 thing-no icicles or other stringy decorations hanging from the Christmas tree. Cats can run into serious problems if they swallow these, and many cats are attracted to stringy decorations.

[ehudsonj]

on 11/20/2008 A nicely informative article, but how sad that most people aren't willing instead, to spend that time they claim that is so important to them, to train their pet properly - My dog Shadow, who may not be with me much longer, is almost 10 years old, and after almost 2 years of training, is a perfect sweetheart of a lady.
I do not have to worry about her touching what she should not including her own treats that are virtually open right by the cupboard - she never touches them.
At Christmas or any time, she never gets into anything unless she is invited to, like at my daughter's party last night - she loves to stick her head in the bags to investigate if there is anything interesting, but she would not take anything unless she was told to do so. She doesn't go snakey around kids or otherwise, again, because I took the time to train her, as I did her predecesor and will do so again if I ge

[ChristyBuena]

on 11/19/2008 I will make sure my four-legged furry friend is away from the chaos.

[codyboston]

on 11/19/2008 thx for the article