As we all now joyfully prepare for the Holidays, it’s time to remember that many home Holiday decorations and even some of our cherished Holiday food items can be extremely hazardous to the health and well being of our pets:

Mistletoe

Found throughout the United States, mistletoe is actually a parasitic plant that lives off a variety of different tree species. If ingested in large enough quantities, mistletoe can potentially produce gastrointestinal irritation in pets, excessive thirst and urination, a drop in blood pressure and heart rate, seizures, coma, and even death.

Christmas Trees and Plants

Ingested pine needles can puncture your pet's intestines, and juice or leaves from poinsettia, mistletoe, holly, and Christmas greens are toxic enough to cause severe intestinal damage, and possibly the death of your pet.

Pets are often very inquisitive about items found on Christmas trees. Breakable tree ornaments, angel hair, tinsel, ribbon, hooks, rubber bands, and strings of electrical lights are especially dangerous to them.

If ingested and swallowed, these holiday staples can lead to obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract and either an endoscopy or surgery may be required to remove these life threatening objects.

All tree decorations and ornaments should be hung high enough from the bottom, making them inaccessible to pets.

Also, pets may be tempted to drink water from the base of your Christmas tree, which can quickly cause diarrhea, mouth sores, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Pet owners should place a tree skirt securely around the tree trunk to prevent pets from becoming ill.

Holiday Food

Even the smallest amounts of Holiday chocolate, depending on the size of an animal, can be extremely harmful. Other foods, such as ham, steak, and poultry bones, should not be offered to pets, and should be kept out of their reach.  

Human food is too rich for most pets and can cause intestinal disease as well as perforations and obstructions to the stomach. Additionally, other fatty foods we as humans lavishly enjoy during the Holidays can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Poultry bones can splinter very easily, if chewed or swallowed, causing serious damage to internal organs.

To prevent complications or illnesses to pets during the Holiday season, pet owners should implement simple safety guidelines such as routinely cleaning up around Christmas trees and plants, as well as not giving human food as treats.

If your pet begins exhibiting any unusual health symptoms during the Holidays, and you suspect that they may have ingested any of the above, the best course of action is to immediately take them to your veterinarian for prompt care.

And if you suspect that your pet has ingested a potentially toxic substance, please contact your local veterinarian or the Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) at (888) 426-4435.

With just a little precaution, everyone in the family, including our beloved pets, can have a very safe and a very enjoyable Holiday Season.