6 Helpful Christmas Safety Tips For Pet Owners

Source: Getty Images

Before your family wakes up to see what trinkets Santa left under the tree Christmas morning, be sure that you have taken all of the proper precautions to keep your dogs and cats safe this holiday season.

While the holidays are fun for us humans, they can present a lot of dangers to our furry family members. Don’t let your Christmas get interrupted by a trip to the emergency vet!

Here are a few Christmas safety tips to help you keep your fur family safe this holiday.

1. Pet-Proof The Christmas Tree

Perhaps the epicenter of holiday danger for your pet is the Christmas tree. Failing to pet-proof the “O Tannenbaum” could result in upset stomachs, painful injuries, catastrophic veterinary bills, or even tragedy this Christmas season.

Make sure you anchor the tree securely to avoid a dangerous tree-tipping disaster. Check your tree stand daily to confirm that the eyebolts are still locking the tree in place.

For added security, anchor the tree to your ceiling with a ceiling hook and fishing line.

2. Beware Christmas Tree Water

(Picture Credit: Tom Werner/Getty Images)

Pet parents who bring live pines, spruces, and firs inside for Christmas should make sure the water reservoir inside of the tree stand is not easily accessible to dogs and cats. As the tree drinks water, it can release sometimes-toxic sap into the stand that smells tasty to pets.

Many fresh trees are also preserved with pesticides and fertilizer water additives, including aspirin. Aspirin can be fatal for cats because they lack a necessary protein in their livers to break down the drug. While veterinarians occasionally prescribe aspirin for dogs to treat various conditions, too much can prove deadly.

Block access to the tree stand by thoroughly covering it with aluminum foil and a well-wrapped tree skirt.

3. Be Careful With Christmas Lights

All the lights and baubles you use to adorn your Christmas tree and your home sure are pretty, but they can pose a real threat to your pet. Veterinarians say pets can easily die from electrocution, internal injuries, or intestinal blockage after enjoying a decorative snack.

Be sure you fasten holiday lights to your tree and place cords out of reach of your curious pet’s mouth. Block access to any loose cords or wires.

4. Ornaments Can Be Deadly

Those might look like tree ornaments to you, but to Fido and Fluffy, they are just potential toys in a festive display.

Chewing on ornaments can cause cuts in the mouth, throat, and digestive system, as well as other serious injuries.

Tree-trimmings like garland and tinsel, when eaten, can also result in gastrointestinal blockages that have the potential to harm or even kill your pet.

5. Pick Safe Christmas Plants

Popular decorative plants like holly, mistletoe, and the poinsettia can be poisonous if ingested.

English and Asian varieties of the holly plant contain toxic saponins, which can cause serious gastrointestinal distress when eaten.

The viscotoxins in mistletoe are nothing to kiss over; eating the leaves or berries of this common Christmas plant can cause stomach upset and a slowed heartbeat.

The poinsettia flower is typically only toxic when ingested in large quantities, so its reputation as the most dangerous Christmas plant is somewhat undeserved. That said, the milky white sap of the poinsettia tends to cause diarrhea, excessive drooling, and vomiting, which can endanger a pet’s health.

Christmas bouquets and floral arrangements that contain lilies are very hazardous to pets, especially cats. All it takes is a few bites of a lily plant to cause potentially fatal kidney failure in felines.

Cautious pet owners should probably steer clear of including these beautiful but dangerous plants in their Christmas décor.

6. Keep Gifts And Candy Out Of Reach

Make sure your stockings really are hung by the chimney with care this holiday season; children’s toys, gift wrap, and candy should be kept out of reach at all times.

If you believe your pet may have eaten something he or she shouldn’t have this holiday season, contact your veterinarian immediately. Keep the numbers to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital handy if harm or injury should happen after hours.

Finally, call the 24-hour ASPCA emergency poison hotline at 1-888-426-4435 if you have any concerns about potentially harmful substances ingested by your pet. Specialists are available to aid you every day of the year, including Christmas.

What steps are you taking to keep your pets safe this Christmas? Do you have any other tips for pet parents? Let us know in the comments below!

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Holidays with your pets

The holiday season is upon us, and many pet parents plan to include their furry companions in the festivities. As you gear up for the holidays, it is important to try to keep your pet's eating and exercise habits as close to their normal routine as possible. Also, please be sure to steer pets clear of the following unhealthy treats, toxic plants and dangerous decorations.

Be Careful with Seasonal Plants and Decorations

• Oh, Christmas Tree: Securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn't tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet. This will also prevent the tree water—which may contain fertilizers that can cause stomach upset—from spilling. Stagnant tree water is a breeding ground for bacteria, and your pet could end up with nausea or diarrhea should he imbibe.
• Avoid Mistletoe & Holly: Holly, when ingested, can cause pets to suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. And many varieties of lilies can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested. Opt for just-as-jolly artificial plants made from silk or plastic, or choose a pet-safe bouquet.
• Tinsel-less Town: Kitties love this sparkly, light-catching "toy" that's easy to bat around and carry in their mouths. But a nibble can lead to a swallow, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration and possible surgery. It's best to brighten your boughs with something other than tinsel.
• That Holiday Glow: Don't leave lighted candles unattended. Pets may burn themselves or cause a fire if they knock candles over. Be sure to use appropriate candle holders, placed on a stable surface. And if you leave the room, put the candle out!
• Wired Up: Keep wires, batteries and glass or plastic ornaments out of paws' reach. A wire can deliver a potentially lethal electrical shock and a punctured battery can cause burns to the mouth and esophagus, while shards of breakable ornaments can damage your pet's mouth and digestive tract.

Avoid Holiday Food Dangers

• Skip the Sweets: By now you know not to feed your pets chocolate and anything sweetened with xylitol, but do you know the lengths to which an enterprising pet will go to chomp on something yummy? Make sure to keep your pets away from the table and unattended plates of food, and be sure to secure the lids on garbage cans.
• Leave the Leftovers: Fatty, spicy and no-no human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to your furry friends. Pets can join the festivities in other fun ways that won't lead to costly medical bills.
• Careful with Cocktails: If your celebration includes adult holiday beverages, be sure to place your unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot get to them. If ingested, your pet could become weak, ill and may even go into a coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory failure.
• Selecting Special Treats: Looking to stuff your pet's stockings? Stick with chew toys that are basically indestructible, Kongs that can be stuffed with healthy foods or chew treats that are designed to be safely digestible. Long, stringy things are a feline's dream, but the most risky toys for cats involve ribbon, yarn and loose little parts that can get stuck in the intestines, often necessitating surgery. Surprise kitty with a new ball that's too big to swallow, a stuffed catnip toy or the interactive cat dancer.

Please visit our People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets page for more information.

Plan a Pet-Safe Holiday Gathering

• House Rules: If your animal-loving guests would like to give your pets a little extra attention and exercise while you're busy tending to the party, ask them to feel free to start a nice play or petting session.
• Put the Meds Away: Make sure all of your medications are locked behind secure doors, and be sure to tell your guests to keep their meds zipped up and packed away, too.
• A Room of Their Own: Give your pet his own quiet space to retreat to—complete with fresh water and a place to snuggle. Shy pups and cats might want to hide out under a piece of furniture, in their carrying case or in a separate room away from the hubbub.
• New Year's Noise: As you count down to the new year, please keep in mind that strings of thrown confetti can get lodged in a cat's intestines, if ingested, perhaps necessitating surgery. Noisy poppers can terrify pets and cause possible damage to sensitive ears. And remember that many pets are also scared of fireworks, so be sure to secure them in a safe, escape-proof area as midnight approaches.

Source: aspca.org

Festive tips for pets

Christmas can be exciting and full of treats for us, but full of new dangers for pets warns veterinarian Dr Leonie Richards from the University of Melbourne's U-Vet clinic in Werribee.

Festive tips for pets:

• Chocolate – is toxic to dogs and cats, even in small quantities
• Avocadoes and macadamia nuts – can be toxic to dogs
• Fatty foods like turkey skin, pork crackling, sausages meats – can lead to inflammation of the pancreas due to the high fat content
• Onions and garlic – can cause gastric irritation and anaemia if they are consumed in large quantities
• Grapes and raisins – can cause acute kidney failure
• Christmas decorations and cooked bones- if eaten can cause obstruction of the intestine and require surgery
• Snake bites- avoid walking dogs in long grass
• Heat stress- all pets need water and shade and to rest indoors over 30 degrees

Some of the main risks to pets over the holiday season are from food including ingestion of cooked bones and Christmas decorations that can cause intestinal obstruction, and pancreatitis from fatty meals.

"We often want to treat our pets with special food at Christmas, but this can lead to disaster.," Dr Richards says.

"A common mistake at Christmas is to give the dog the ham bone, or the fatty off cuts of food. These foods often can cause pancreatitis, the symptoms which include acute vomiting, this condition can be life threatening and is a very painful miserable condition for your dog to get," Dr Richards says.

"Nuts, chocolate, sultanas, raisins, and similar foods can all be toxic to our four legged friends, so make sure that you keep these goodies out of reach, and don't give as treats. "

"If you need to give your pet a Christmas treat, pet stockings normally have harmless toys or treats. And they can have some meat from Christmas dinner, just no bones and no fat."

Christmas decorations and lights can be tempting for puppies and cats to play with, but unfortunately they can accidently ingest them, which usually results in surgery.

Once we get through Christmas, New Year's Eve comes along. If you know that your pet is noise phobic, don't leave it until the last minute to seek help, there are many strategies that can be put in place to prepare them, and sometimes medications can also be useful. 

During summer heat all pets need cool water and a shady spot, preferably indoors on days over 30 degrees, with heat stroke signs being heavy panting, drooling and staggering.

Owners also need to keep an eye on their pets for snake-bite, signs are drooling, enlarged pupils, weakness and shallow breathing.

"As for all pet emergencies the best thing is to keep pets cool, calm and still while getting them to a vet as soon as possible. Owners should remember to call ahead to check their vet is open during holiday times. Snake bite on a limb should be bandaged but do not apply a tourniquet."

source: phys.org

Protect Outdoor Animals

Protect outdoor animals

If there are outdoor cats, either owned pets or community cats in your area, remember that they need protection from the elements as well as food and water. It's easy to give them a hand.

You can make your own cat shelter quickly and easily with a plastic tub.

Cars are one of many hazards to small animals—warm engines in parked cars attract cats and small wildlife, who may crawl up under the hood. To avoid injuring any hidden animals, bang on your car's hood to scare them away before starting your engine.

You can also help make your property safe for deer in the wintertime by waiting until after the first week of December to string lights, and after then, only on trees over six inches in diameter. Before the first snow, you should also store summer recreational materials, like hammocks and swings.

Source:humanesociety.org

Caring for your horse in the Winter

Horse care in the Winter

Be sure your horses have access to a barn or a three-sided run-in so they can escape the wind and cold. While not all horses will need to be blanketed, blankets will help horses keep warm and dry, especially if there is any rain or snow. If you’ve body-clipped your horses, keep them blanketed throughout the winter.

Give your horses access to unfrozen water at all times. You can use heated buckets or water heaters/de-icers to make sure the water doesn’t freeze. Also, be sure to feed your horses more forage—unlimited amounts, if possible—during extreme cold. This will help your horses create heat and regulate their body temperatures.

Source:humanesociety.org

From Dr. Thompson

From Dr. T

December 2, 2019

Hey, hey, hey!! Wad up?!? This dogs' cholesterol/fat/triglycerides/amylase/ lipase jaaaaast to name a few! Yeppers!! I know, probably every veterinarian has or is posting pics of the same thing, but.....you know me from my past history, wanna/gotta show ya!! Nothing new to veterinary medicine, especially during this time of year. Hemorrhagic enteritis, pancreatitis, IBD....not inventing a new syndrome by any means BUT, able to show what blood from a dog given "extra treats," looks like!! Thanks grannie, uncle Harry, outcast Harold, & all the other "family," that, " just couldn't stand to have him look at me that way, so I just gave him a little." Well, then let me just give you a little.....of the vet bill you cost me!!! 😧😳 Happy Holidays? Dr.T 😎 Be super cool as always 😉 THOMPSON VET SERVICES

November 27, 2019

Happy Pre T-day peeps! One of our dentals for the day. Just amazing to me still to this very day, how these animals adapt to certain conditions. This is a 13 yr. old geriatric. The halitosis this patient had 7 days ago was mind blowing, but owners stated within a day or < on antibiotics, the halitodiminishedshed considerably. Love it man!!! Pre-dental labs, anesthesia, & recovery were good and went well. I know, I posted a similar post about a dental we did, but MAN!!, this is just a too good of an opportunity to miss, not to instill how important regular dentals are for your "babies!!" Again, if that mouth smells like the "ars end"....take a look & get an appointment with your veterinarian!! Be cool, Dr.T

What can I say??? Busted!! Yep, he loves cheeseburgers, plain and dry....we do remove one side of the bread to help lower his carb intake!!🤓😳😉🤣🤣 He frick'n deserves it!! He puts up with me!! Love this guy! Dr.T 😎