7 Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe This Holiday Season

The holidays are a time to come together and celebrate with family and friends, but it can also be a season of health hazards for dogs and cats.

Between unhealthy foods and dangerous decorations, there are plenty of opportunities for pets to get hurt or sick. The good news is that with a little preparation and planning, you can keep your furry friends out of trouble, so you can enjoy the festivities with peace of mind.

Here are seven tips for keeping your pets happy and healthy through the holiday season.

• Pet-proof your Christmas tree. For many families, the holidays just wouldn’t feel festive without a Christmas tree. But trees can pose a number of hazards for your pet. Place your tree in a corner and secure the base so it won’t tip over if animals climb or bump into it.

When decorating, place ornaments on higher branches out of reach — especially glass or fragile decorations that might shatter if a pet tries to chew or play with them. Avoid using edible decorations, like popcorn garlands and gingerbread ornaments, which can be unhealthy if pets eat them, and may also contain ribbons, hooks, or plastic parks that would be dangerous to swallow.

If you have a natural tree, vacuum up any fallen needles off the floor, as these can make animals sick if ingested. And don’t forget your tree’s water well — avoid adding any fertilizer or preservatives to the water, in case your pets try to drink from it.

• Skip the tinsel. Cats especially love to play with sparkly tinsel, but this fluttery decoration can get tangled up and block the digestive tract if animals eat it, and may require emergency surgery to be removed.
• Use caution with holiday plants. Many people love decorating with seasonal plants, but certain species can be toxic to animals. Holly can cause vomiting and diarrhea in pets, while mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal and cardiovascular problems. Lilies are notorious for causing kidney failure in cats, but these flowers can be poisonous to dogs as well. Poinsettias can also make animals sick, causing eye and skin irritation, and an upset stomach.

For a safer alternative, use plastic or silk plants to decorate, or place natural plants well out of your animals’ reach.

• Watch out for lights and candles. Wires, batteries, and open flames can all be tempting — and dangerous — for your pet. Keep strands of lights off the lower branches of your Christmas tree so animals can’t get tangled up, chew on the wires, or swallow one of the colorful bulbs. Batteries can be deadly if swallowed by pets, so inspect any battery-powered decorations or toys to make sure the battery compartment is secure and pet-proof, or place them on a high shelf where your pet can’t reach them. Finally, unattended candles can not only burn curious pets, but they can also start a fire if an animal knocks them over.

If you use candles, display them in an appropriate candle holder on a stable surface away from flammable items, and blow them out when you leave the room.

• Just say “no” to sharing people food. As much as pets may beg for a taste of what you’re enjoying, don’t give it to them.

You probably already know about chocolate being toxic for dogs, but there are many other foods that can make your pets sick over the holidays. Coffee, macadamia nuts, raisins and grapes, onions and garlic, turkey and turkey skin, and products containing the artificial sweetener xylitol are all on the list of foods to avoid. Plus eating excessive amounts of salt can lead to problems including sodium ion poisoning. Bakers in the family should know not to let dogs eat yeasted dough, as the dough can release gas as it rises, causing the stomach to bloat and in some cases to become twisted, a potentially deadly complication.

Other foods may not be toxic to animals but can still make them sick. Pets have trouble digesting dairy products, and eating foods that are high in oil and fat could give them an upset stomach, leading to vomiting and diarrhea.

• Keep booze off-limits. It’s hard to believe that anyone would give alcohol to an animal on purpose, but it should go without saying that giving pets alcohol can be extremely dangerous.

Even small amounts of alcohol can be toxic, especially for smaller dogs and cats. Animals aren’t usually attracted to the taste of alcohol itself but may ingest it in other foods, like sweet mixed drinks or eggnog, rum cakes, or chocolate cordials. If you do see your pet eat something with alcohol in it, or they’re showing symptoms like lethargy, excessive thirst, shallow breathing, loss of consciousness, or muscle tremors, call your vet.

• Ring in the New Year safely. With fireworks, party poppers, and other loud noises, New Year’s eve can be a scary time for pets, and some animals may run away if they’re afraid. Many animal shelters see an increase in runaways at this time of year — the CEO of one humane society reported as many as three times the usual number of lost and missing cats and dogs on New Year’s Eve. So take extra steps to keep your pets secure.

Take time before the big day to update your pet’s collar or tag with correct contact information and to double-check that your pet is microchipped.

On New Year’s Eve, make sure that doors, windows, and gates are all closed and secure so that pets can’t escape. Take your dog out for a walk or play vigorously with your cat earlier in the day to tire them out and encourage them to sleep through the evening.

Prepare a quiet, cozy area for your pets in a familiar part of the house, where they can hide out during the celebrations, and consider playing music, running a fan, or turning on the TV to mask some of the noise. Consider staying in and ringing in the New Year with a quiet family activity like a movie marathon, so you can keep an eye on your pets and comfort them if necessary.

If you do go out to celebrate, take time before you leave the house to remove any potential hazards, and leave them in a safe area where they will be secure and can’t escape, like a bedroom.

• Talk with your vet about whether medication might help. For animals that really get distressed by the noise and activity around the holidays, you might want to consider medication to help them sleep or reduce their anxiety. Over-the-counter medications can be toxic, so talk with your veterinarian ahead of time about whether this is the right option for your pet, and what dose to give them.

Pet owners may need to take some extra steps to keep animals safe over the holidays, but it’s worth it. With a little extra planning and preparation, you’ll be able to celebrate the season with all your loved ones — even those with four legs.