We cherish the holidays for many reasons, great food, time with family, and a break from all the usual stress that comes with the other 364 days out of the year. However, dog and cat owners aren’t always as stress-free as everyone else. The holidays also bring in many different kinds of danger that forces most pet parents to remain on high alert. Be vigilant this season, and make sure you take the necessary precautions in keeping your pets safe.
Aside from July, the holidays are when shelters fill up, and it's not just because people are dropping off their dogs. When you’re hosting a family event this year, it's best to keep your dog or cat in a separate room that cannot be entered by guests. It might not feel so great to exclude your dog from the fun, but the truth is that they’ll be a lot safer.
With people coming and going, there’s a very good chance that your pet will slip out the door along with the guest. You don’t want them getting into a neighbor's yard, getting hit by a car, fall into the wrong hands, or end up at the shelter.
If you do decide to allow your pets to mingle with guests, let everyone know to be extra careful not to let the cat out!
There is mixed information out there about the danger of Poinsettias, but what we do know is that they cause adverse reactions in our cats and dogs when consumed. They may not necessarily be deadly in smaller amounts, but your dog may experience nausea, excessive drooling, and loose bowel movements.
Cats and Christmas trees just aren’t a good mixture, not just because they enjoy the challenge of climbing up a tree. Decorative ribbon is also an issue in that it resembles the toys that they usually play with. Aside from the obvious hazard of your cat choking, things get much worse if ribbon is swallowed.
It could get stuck along the way out, even worse, it could cause serious problems coming out the other end. If you do see ribbon hanging from your cat’s bum, do not try to pull it out on your own. If it is knotted or tangled, you could seriously damage your cat’s intestines.
Take them to the vet, it may not be an emergency, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
If you got the chance when you were little, you might have made your own Christmas tree ornaments from flour. You could make little designs, add paint, poke a hole, and hang it from the tree. Although you and I are aware that flour and water aren’t very tasty, our dogs can’t really tell the difference.
All they know is that you just hung a cookie in front of them at eye level, and we all know what happens after that! Go ahead and hang up your Christmas cookie ornament, just make sure it's high enough that it won’t be eaten by hungry pups.
Lighting the Menorah is such an exciting, special moment to share with family. However, if you have a cat or a dog with a wild tail things can get a lot more exciting, but not in a good way! Kitties are notorious for knocking things over just because they can, and fire is the last thing you want tipping out onto your floor.
If possible, keep candles and any flame in a separate room or somewhere that your pets can’t access at all.
