The 12 hazards of Christmas

Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part series. The second will appear next Sunday.

The holiday season is here and that means indulging in special treats, presents under the tree, pretty Christmas decorations, and countless headaches for pet owners! 

The Christmas Tree

The average pet owner can tell you some nightmare story about their pet either knocking over or destroying their Christmas tree. Make sure your tree is secure in its stand so it does not topple over at the slightest touch. Some pet owners may find that attaching trees to the wall or ceiling is the only way to truly topple-proof their tree. This is especially important if you have cats who like to climb the tree! Tree needles are not digestible and may cause stomach irritation if your pet tries to consume them. The water in the tree stand can also be hazardous to pets if they drink it, so make sure you have a covered water dish. If possible, try to keep your pet in a separate room from the Christmas tree when you’re not home.

Low Hanging Ornaments

Hanging ornaments low on the tree is just asking for trouble if you have pets in your home. Cats find the dangling ornaments irresistible while dogs, often oblivious to the ornaments, can send them flying off the tree with one wag of their tails. Ornaments that have fallen off the tree and broken can be dangerous to people and pets, so make sure all the lower ornaments are securely fastened to the tree and anything fragile is placed near the top.

Presents Under the Tree

A couple years ago, I thought I was going to have to spend Christmas at the emergency vet after my dogs busted into a wrapped package of chocolates and ate every single one of them while my entire family was at a Christmas Eve service. This was after I had asked my brother-in-law if the presents under the tree contained chocolate, mind you, and he had assured me they did not. After a long night spent sitting up with sick dogs, my family learned two important lessons: 1) my brother-in-law is an idiot and 2) we can never, ever leave presents unattended under the Christmas tree.

Animals can easily pick out which presents contain food and they will break into them if given the chance. The chocolates my dogs found were individually wrapped, in a box, wrapped in cellophane, wrapped in paper, and under a bunch of other presents, so don’t try to outsmart your pets by “wrapping something really well”. Think twice before putting presents under the tree leading up to Christmas – especially if you don’t know what’s in them!

Christmas Lights and Candles

Christmas lights make great chew toys! While cats and older pets may not care much about Christmas lights, puppies tend to seek out the most dangerous things in the house to chew on. If you’ve got a chewer in your family, wrap your electrical cords or pick up some tubing from your local hardware store. If you’re using candles, only light them when you will be in the room and remember to put them somewhere you cat cannot get to them. Never leave candles unattended with pets in the house!

People Food for Pets

When we’re all enjoying delicious holiday treats, it’s tempting to want to let our pets enjoy the good stuff, too. Just like overindulging can make us feel sick, letting your pet sample the people food can make them ill, too. Fatty foods and rich sauces can give your pet an upset stomach while other foods, grapes and macadamia nuts, are toxic. Make sure your guests all understand the “no people food” rule and explain to them why it’s important your pets don’t get slipped any holiday treats.

Alcohol

Alcohol is toxic to pets, so make sure it is kept far away from them. Keep pets in a separate room during parties to make sure they can’t get into unattended cups. Alcohol can be extremely dangerous to pets and, if they consume enough of it, it can even be fatal. Watch your pet closely for signs of alcohol toxicity, which include lack of coordination, drowsiness, slow breathing, vomiting, and unresponsiveness. If your pet exhibits any of these symptoms, get them to the vet or emergency vet immediately for treatment.

Check back next week for the second half of the 12 Hazards of Christmas!

Alaina Goodnough is the Promotions Coordinator at Cocheco Valley Humane Society in Dover, NH. She lives in Sanford, ME with two parrots, a cat, and two dachshunds. She can be reached at CVHS at devassist@cvhsonline.org