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Avoiding Holiday Hazards
A
group of your friends and family, some festive decorations, and
delicious food sounds like a recipe for a great time, but can
turn out to be a recipe for disaster for your pet. Whether you
are celebrating the holidays at home or away, many of the same
hazards threaten the safety of your pet. By following some basic
preventative steps, you and your family can spend your holiday
time relaxing together instead of searching for an emergency veterinarian's
office in the middle of the night.
New
places to climb, shiny objects to bat at, strings to chase and
chew… to little Fluffy, your Christmas tree looks less like
a tree and more like an amusement park. In order to make your
tree safe, first, anchor your tree securely to the ceiling using
a strong cord. Be sure the base of the tree is appropriate for
the height and weight of your tree and does not topple easily.
With kitties in the house, it's best not to use tinsel at all;
but if you must, place it high on the tree out of your cat's reach.
When eaten, tinsel can cause a potentially deadly intestinal obstruction.
Also be wary of ornament hooks, ribbons, and sharp or breakable
ornaments. Although it may help extend the life of your tree,
shy away from using any preservatives in the water, including
sugar and aspirin, as they may cause gastric upset in your pet.
Also keep in mind that Pine sap mixed with water can become a
poisonous drink for animals. In order to avoid shocks and burns,
be sure to tape down all electrical cords and unplug them before
leaving home. Keep tabs on all indoor light strings to be sure
they are not hanging so low that a pet could easily become entangled.
You
might enjoy a visit from Grandma, Aunt Jane and her three children,
several of your long lost second cousins, and your in-laws; however,
Fido might become very anxious around so many new people. Provide
your pet with a safe, quiet place to retreat to during holiday
parties. Also, be sure to keep their identification tags on them
in case your pooch decides to slip out during all the commotion.
Deck
the halls with boughs of holly, but be sure to remove all the
berries. Most common holiday plants such as mistletoe and holly
berries can be poisonous to pets. Although not actually poisonous,
pine needles can puncture holes in a pet's intestines. Poinsettias
are lovely to look at, but the milky white sap and leaves can
cause severe gastric distress for your pet. Also, with so many
new hybrids available each year, the safest bet is to keep poinsettias
out of your pets reach.
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here to read the full story:
http://www.bringyourpet.com/newsletters/bypnl113006.htm
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