The holidays are full of things that pets find tempting including ornaments, tinsel, candles, and lots of people food. It’s important to know holiday dangers for pets to help keep them safe. We’ve compiled some potential dangers for your favorite furry friends that you can keep in mind through the end of the year.
Once the holiday season starts, plants, including poinsettias, holly, mistletoe, lilies, and even Christmas trees can be dangerous for both cats and dogs. Avoid lilies in your home as they are highly toxic—and tempting—to cats.
Poinsettias and other plants are also mildly toxic to pets and can cause intestinal issues and skin irritation. Signs of exposure to look for include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, licking lips, and skin irritations such as swelling, redness, and itching. While Christmas trees aren’t in and of themselves toxic to animals, the needles, if ingested can cause an upset stomach so keep those needles picked up.
Holiday ornaments can also pose a danger to pets if they are ingested. Some common types of décor dangers include lights, broken ornaments, and tinsel. Tinsel can get tangled up in the intestines and pose a particular danger to cats who love the shiny strings.
Holiday foods including candy with chocolate can be deadly to pets. Chocolate, even in small amounts can be toxic or even deadly to dogs. Baked goods containing cocoa powder are especially toxic as cocoa powder is a concentrated form of chocolate.
Sugar-free candies are also extremely toxic to pets. Both cats and dogs are affected by xylitol, a common ingredient in sugar-free foods. Even a very small amount of xylitol can lead to low blood sugar levels, seizures, liver failure and death. Keep all sugar-free foods and holiday treats out of the reach of your pets.
How to Get Help if Needed
We hope you avoid these holiday dangers for pets. But if you need, contact Cimarron Animal Hospital during the day at 316-686-4713 if you suspect your pet has ingested something dangerous. You can also call the Pet Poison Helpline 24/7 at 855-764-7661. If you know your pet has eaten something toxic, contact a local emergency veterinary hospital.
