With the holiday season just around the corner, thinking through how to keep your pets safe will be an important part of preparations. As you gather ingredients, wrap gifts, and write cards, you’ll also want to keep in mind what you can do to make sure your dogs and cats don’t get their paws on anything that’s potentially harmful.
What Are 10 Holiday Safety Tips for Pets?
Let’s take a look at a detailed list of 10 holiday safety tips for pets. Keep in mind that every pet is different, so when you’re preparing your home for the holidays, try to think about the types of toys your pets love, what type of human food they’re drawn to, etc.
Tailoring your holiday pet-safety plan to your pets’ personalities will help guarantee a seamless holiday season.
1. Be Aware of Poisonous Plants
Plants are an important part of the holiday season and are often used for decoration to give your home an extra touch of holiday magic. That said, certain plants like pine trees, mistletoe, holly, and poinsettias are all poisonous or dangerous to varying degrees for your pets. The needles on a pine tree and pine oil can cause irritation in your pet’s GI tract and can cause obstruction or a puncture.
If your pet consumes mistletoe, holly, or poinsettias, they may experience diarrhea, loss of appetite, spots of blood in the mouth, head shaking, or vomiting. This is not to say you can’t decorate with plants if you have pets. It’s just important to place plants far out of reach of your dog or cat or set them up in rooms of the house that your pets don’t have access to.
2. Ornaments and Decorations Are a Choking Hazard
For many, a Christmas tree isn’t complete without several beautiful ornaments. However, where you see an ornament, your pet may see a treat or toy. That’s why you should always hang any “edible” ornaments (like gingerbread ornaments or salt-dough ornaments), lights, and tinsel toward the top of the tree and out of the reach of pets.
Tinsel can be particularly dangerous for cats because it is alluring and light, making it easy for them to play with and carry around. However, if they swallow it, tinsel can obstruct their digestive tract and possibly require surgery to have it removed.
Snow globes are another holiday decoration that’s potentially dangerous for your pets. Ethylene glycol, a main ingredient in antifreeze, is used to make snow globes, and it’s highly toxic to pets. That said, it has a sweet smell that may attract pets if the snow globe falls and breaks. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to keep snow globes far away from the areas your pets can access.
3. Cables and Wires Can Cause Accidents
During the holidays, you’ll likely have more cables and wires around to power lights and decorations. If this is true for your home, make sure to find a secure way to conceal all cables so your pet can’t access them.
Pets, especially cats, enjoy playing with cables, wires, and anything that resembles string. In the case of cables and wires, they can deliver an electric shock to your pet that could potentially be fatal. If your pet is playing with the cables from the Christmas tree lights, they may also risk toppling the tree over and getting caught underneath it as it falls.
4. Certain Baking Ingredients Can Cause Serious Harm
Baking is a staple of the holiday season. Between apple pies, gingerbread, and Christmas cookies, there’s no shortage of delicious treats coming out of your kitchen at this time of year. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that some of the most beloved baking ingredients for humans can be harmful to pets.
For example, chocolate contains ingredients like caffeine and theobromine that can be harmful to cats and dogs in small amounts and fatal in large amounts. Macadamia nuts are another ingredient to watch out for; ingesting them can cause muscle weakness in dogs. If you’re a fan of fresh bread for holiday meals, also make sure to keep the dough away from your pets.
5. Leave Leftovers for the Humans
There are countless human foods that are beloved holiday staples for humans and dangerous for pets. That’s why it’s best to leave all the leftovers for humans.
If you want to give your cat or dog something special, get treats specifically formulated for pets to show them a little extra love during the holidays. Although certain human foods like eggs and mushrooms can be okay for pets, it’s always a good idea to stick to food made specifically for them.
Some of the foods that are potentially dangerous for pets include:
- Bones (specifically chicken and turkey bones that can splinter and cause damage)
- Citrus and pits
- Chives
- Garlic
- Grapes and Raisins
- Meat (undercooked or raw)
- Onions, leeks, and scallions
6. Make Sure Alcohol Is Always Consumed Far Away From Pets
Similarly to humans, alcohol poisoning is a serious issue for pets. A pet who has consumed alcohol may have decreased coordination, abnormal blood acidity, difficulty breathing, tremors, and, in the most extreme cases, it can be fatal. For these reasons, it’s crucial to ensure that all alcohol is consumed and stored far away from places that your pets can reach.
7. Take Steps To Secure Your Christmas Tree
Christmas Trees are a classic Christmas staple, and there is a way to set them up so that you don’t put your pet at risk; it just takes some thoughtful planning. First, make sure to cover the water base of your Christmas Tree so your pets can’t drink the water that may contain chemicals that are harmful to them.
If you do put gifts under the tree that contain food or sweet treats like candy, keep in mind that even if it doesn’t smell to you, your dog’s nose will likely be able to detect the contents. Placing gifts with edible elements on a table or in another out-of-the-way spot will keep them from being consumed by your pet.
Last but certainly not least, make sure your Christmas tree is firmly secured. This may require tethering it to another piece of furniture or a door. Unfortunately, your pets’ curiosity may lead them to try to topple the tree, which can be extremely dangerous.
8. Be Careful with Candles
Candles are another important part of the holiday season for many families. Whether your holiday tradition involves lighting a menorah, placing a candle in the windows, or simply lighting several scented candles, it’s important to carefully consider candle placement.
If your candles or menorahs are within reach of your pets, they may attempt to play with them, or their wagging tail may knock them over. This can lead to burns for your pet or a house fire, so it is important to place your candles in high, hard-to-reach places.
9. Limit Loud Noises
Another feature of the holidays that can be distressing to pets are all the loud noises. Between loud music, noisemakers, and fireworks, various holiday celebrations can be stressful events for your pets. If you know that there are going to be especially loud noises in the evening, make sure your pets have a safe, quiet space they can go to if they get scared.
For holidays like New Years Eve when there’s definitely going to be loud noises, consider giving your dog ElleVet Calm & Comfort Chews. These maximum strength situational chews are beneficial for high-stress days when you know your dog will need all the support they can get.
10. Prepare Your Guests
If you’re hosting family members or throwing a party during the holidays, it’s always a good idea to let your guests know about any pet protocol before they come over. This may include telling them about your pet (especially if your dog or cat tends to get overwhelmed with new people in the home) and making sure they know about any measures to keep them safe.
It may even be beneficial to run your guests through a few basic rules concerning your pet before their stay or before the party. These rules may include not feeding them any human food, closing the door tightly behind them so they can’t slip out, and anything else you think would be beneficial and relevant for them to know about your pet.
Wrapping Up
At ElleVet Sciences, we believe that the holidays should be an exciting and joyful time for everyone in your family, including your pets. Being mindful of the way you decorate your home, prepare your favorite holiday dishes, and plan for big events can help you guarantee that your dogs and cats enjoy the holidays just as much as you do.
