VET SPEAK: Our Christmas delights can be so hazardous for cats and dogs
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Advice on ensuring a safe and happy festive time for you and your pets from Inverness vet Alison Laurie-Chalmers.
Certain plants commonly used for festive gifts and decoration, including poinsettia, amaryllis, mistletoe, ivy and holly berries can be toxic to our pets.
Even Christmas trees can cause problems if
any coatings or preservatives are sprayed on the trees.
To ensure no potential problems, move any plants to an area where your pet is less inclined to have an inquisitive nibble, and place plastic protective covers over the base of your Christmas tree and a protective guard around it.
This “take care” advice also goes for your Christmas decorations and wrappings.
Twinkling tinsel, baubles, lights, wrapping, string, tape and ribbons can look very enticing to dogs and cats, however, they can get into serious trouble through trying to play with these, as they can potentially cause injury and intestinal obstruction requiring surgical intervention if swallowed.
So, make sure that these are kept out of reach.
You can place a pet gate or guard around the tree so your dog cannot get in to chew anything. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Tinsel is particularly enticing to kittens and cats, so monitor them very closely when tinsel is around and keep cats safely out of any decorated room when you are asleep or out of the home.
Many people like to wrap presents early and leave them under the Christmas tree. Some presents can be dangerous though, depending on what is inside them.
If there is anything in a gift that could be potentially dangerous if your dog unwrapped it, for example chocolates, then it is better to keep these safely away.
Also, the festive period is also a time known for some beautiful light displays. Be aware though of any flashing lights or exposed cords as they are a potential, attractive, dangerous chewing hazard.
Be sure to properly secure and guard all your Christmas lights so that your dog cannot get to them.
Burning candles can be extremely dangerous if pets are around as they could also be knocked over and potentially cause a fire in your home.
Also be careful of presents requiring batteries. More batteries are ingested by dogs around the Christmas holiday than during any other time of the year.
If a battery is chewed and punctured, it can cause severe heavy metal poisoning and chemical burns to your dog’s mouth, throat and digestive tract. If swallowed whole, it may cause an obstruction.
Lastly, many pets can become quite distressed and appear anxious by loud noises, and sadly, Christmas and New Year provides yet another opportunity for fireworks. So, be prepared, and do create a safe space for your pets to have some peace and quiet and to rest, away from all the hustle and bustle over the festive period.
Giving your dog his own personal space instead of forcing him into any strange situation will make him feel more comfortable and, in turn, happier over this busy time.
Please follow this advice to hopefully ensure a happy Christmas and a peaceful new year for you and for your pets.
n Alison Laurie-Chalmers is a senior consultant of Crown Vets in Inverness.
