Holiday Safety Tips for Your Pets

The Holidays are a busy time for most people. We tend to have a lot going on during the last month of  the year. Don’t forget to keep your pets safety in mind as you enjoy all the festivities.

Here are some simple safety tips to help keep our furry family members safe.

Keep your pets away from the Christmas tree if you have one. Not only is there always the possibility of the tree falling over on top of a curious pet, but they shouldn’t ingest any part of either a live tree or an artificial one. (Trust me, THAT could get expensive very fast.)  The water in the base of a live tree could contain chemicals and pesticides that everyone should stay away from.

Make sure to keep you adult beverages away from your pets. Alcohol can have a very adverse effect on our furry little monsters.

Keep all garbage safely contained and away from your pets. Make sure the garbage cans are safely sealed or away from inquisitive noses.

Large gatherings can be extra stressful for you pet. Try to provide a safe place for them to get away from all the activity. The ringing of the doorbell, people laughing and having a good time, even just having lots of people in the house at once can stress a pet out. A quiet room or even a crate the pet feels safe in would help them feel less stressed. As much as your pet may like socializing, at some point they could feel overwhelmed. Try to provide a safe quiet place with fresh water and a comfy place to lay down.  We actually post a note on the front door requesting that people do not ring the bell.  Thanks to technology, we ask our friends to please text when they arrive and we will meet them at the door with a smile. 😉

There are several plants we associate with the holidays that are also very toxic to your pets including, poinsettia, mistletoe and holly, lilies and daffodils (amaryllis is a popular bulb to grow during the holidays) and even the evergreens like the Christmas tree itself can cause irritation and gastric upset. Most common signs of toxicity are gastrointestinal, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drooling, but holly berry ingestion can cause tremors, seizures, coma and death. Please be aware and keep your pets away from these plants.

Keeping these tips in mind will help you and your pets enjoy a safe and happy holiday season!