Presents, Poisons, and Pups: Surviving the Holidays with our Furry Family

Keeping Your Dog Safe During the Holidays: Hazards Every Pet Owner Should Know

The holidays are a joyful time filled with delicious food, sparkling decorations, and special gatherings, but they can also bring hidden dangers for our furry family members.
As a dog owner, being aware of seasonal hazards can help you keep your companion healthy and happy all season long.

Toxic Holiday Foods

While it’s tempting to share holiday treats, many popular dishes are dangerous for dogs. Besides these side effects, there can be all sorts of vomiting and diarrhea to go along with ingestion of these foods.
Chocolate: contains theobromine which is toxic even in small amounts, especially dark and baking chocolates.
Grapes and raisins: can cause kidney failure.
Onions, garlic, and chives: commonly found in seasonings, stuffing, and sauces, these can cause damage to red blood cells.
Xylitol: a common sugar substitute in candies, baked good, and sugar free syrups that can cause a life threatening low blood sugar and liver failure.

Keep food out of reach, inform guests not to feed your dogs scraps from the table, and monitor children closely as they may drop food on the floor or want to feed an adorable begging pup.

Dangerous Decorations

Holiday decorations can be irresistible to curious pups! Try hanging ornaments and lights higher on the tree and keep cords tucked away and out of reach.
Tinsel and ribbons: can cause serious intestinal injury or blockages if swallowed.
Ornaments: fragile ones may shatter, leading to cuts or ingestion hazards.
Christmas lights: chewing on wires can result in electric shock and fire hazards.

Seasonal Plants

Several plants common around this quickly approaching and festive time of the year are toxic to dogs.
Poinsettias: cause mild stomach upset
Holly and mistletoe: can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and heart problems
Lilies: extremely toxic, especially to cats, but can also irritate a dog’s mouth and gastrointestinal tract.

Stress, Routine Changes, and House Guests

Visitors, parties, and travel cause cause stress to even a well-behaved and well-adjusted dog. Provide a quiet retreat with your dog’s favorite bed or crate and stick to their normal routine of walks and meals as much as possible. If your dog is particularly anxious, calming aids such as pheromone diffusers or collars may help. We always suggest if a known stressful situation is in the near future to make an appointment to discuss ways we can help make it a better experience for your dog and in turn, for you.

The holidays should be a time of joy for everyone in your home, including your dog. By staying alert to potential hazards and planning ahead, you can protect your pup and create a safe, happy holiday for all!