Holiday Tips For Safe Pets
Galesburg, IL--Holidays mean fun decorating our homes and decking the halls, but the decorations we humans enjoy so much may not be safe for our pets. Pet owners need to be aware of the dangers and take action to ensure the animals they love so much are safe!
The Prairieland Animal Welfare Center, Galesburg, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) want to make pet owners aware of the potential risks to their pets with some types of holiday decorations.
Holiday decorations are glittery and shiny, and are very attractive to pets. But they can also hurt animals if they try to bite into them. Glass can cut the animals, plastic can cause harm, and other ornaments could hurt the animals if they try to eat them.
Natural or artificial, a Christmas tree can be harmful to a pet. If you have a natural tree, the water in the tree stand could hold fertilizers, chemicals, or bacteria which could make your pet ill. Pieces of artificial trees can also be harmful to pets if they eat them. Stands of tinsel from decorating trees can strangulate intestines if an animal eats them. In addition, colorful holiday lights are very attractive to pets, but could hurt them very badly or kill them if they bit the glass fixtures, nibble at cords, or take a bite out of an electrical wire. Natural or artificial--keep pets away from trees to be sure of safety.
Some holiday floral arrangements can be harmful to pets as well. Lilies can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested. Natural holly and mistletoe can cause, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or lethargy. Poinsettia plants are beautiful and are traditional holiday decorations, but may be toxic or at a minimum can cause irritation to a pet's mouth, as well as nausea and/or vomiting.
The bottom line is that pet owners need to "pet proof" holiday decorations like they would with a small child. Supervise pets when they are in rooms with holiday decorations. Cage or kennel animals when they cannot be properly supervised.
And if a pet does ingest something they should not have eaten, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA's Poison Hotline at 888-426-4435 for emergency assistance.
