Holiday Hazards and Precautions
As the holiday season joyously begins, and you begin to lose yourself in a myriad of wreaths, cookies, candies and bows, please make sure you keep an eye on your four legged ones.
Use caution as you feed Buddy that hunk of salami stuffed with cheese wrapped in phyllo dough. Any type of change can cause gastric upset, but be very cautious of high fatty meals, such as duck or turkey skin. This can result in diarrhea, vomiting and even pancreatitis. Do not feed cooked poultry bones as these can splinter very easily.
Other foods to avoid, dark or bakers chocolate, artificially sweetened goodies sweetened with Xylitol (which can be toxic to pets), liquor infused cordials (you can bring those over to Evergreen and I will dispose of them safely), onions, grapes, raisins, and avocados. Other than that, please use a bit of common sense while treating your pet this holiday season.
Holiday plants, such as Mistletoe, and Amaryllis and other lilies can be toxic if ingested. It is theorized that the sap of Poinsettias may cause gastric irritation, but they are not as toxic as their reputation suggests.
The first year my cat discovered the Christmas tree, he ran up the tree, knocked off the star sending the domestic meteor crashing to the ground, and then cat and tree toppled over. The dog snickered as he walked over to inspect the fresh cut tree in the midst of the floor, and then proceeded to mark his territory on the toppled tree in my living room. Needless to say, a well-placed baby gate now separates tree from pets. Tinsel and icicles (the tree kind) reflect light and rustle around in the mildest of breezes immediately piquing a cat’s innate curiosity. If ingested, these objects, along with ribbon, bows and string can cause an intestinal blockage and result in death if not caught. Ornaments and lights if chewed on can obviously cause oral lesions, stomach problems, and if a pet chews through an active electrical cord, severe burns can result.
Heavily scented items, such as scented candles, and potpourri can irritate existing asthma conditions.
Rock salt may irritate the sensitive skin in between toe pads.
Cats may seek out the warmth of a recently shut down car engine, especially when cold out. It might be a good idea to “toot” your horn prior to starting your car in case your cat is snoozing in the engine bay.