Petside Newsletter had a great article on what decorations are safe for pets. I thought it would be a great one to share with you. I know I am in the thick of going through my decorations and figuring out what to hang and what not to. When it comes to putting up my tree, everything must be strategically placed or it becomes a toy for my cat and coming home to glass around the tree is never fun! I hope you find this article as informative as I did.
Foods Your Pets Shouldn't Have
Chocolate has been well publicized as toxic to pets but you may not know that it only takes eight ounces of dark chocolate to kill a small dog. Cats, for the most part, are not as attracted to chocolate as they don't have the taste receptors to sweets that people and dogs have, but chocolate is just as deadly to cats should the cat eat any.
Dogs are attracted to sweets and this can have some serious consequences. If you have eggnog with alcohol in it, perhaps for a party, make sure all the leftover glasses are picked up. A dog who licks up the leftovers could suffer from potentially life-threatening alcohol poisoning.
Other foods that can cause problems for dogs and cats include raw or cooked bones from meats (including the Christmas goose), grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, and garbage.
Candles and Fire
If you enjoy the sight, smell and warmth of candles, just be careful with them and make sure you put out the flame when you leave the room. A kitten or cat dashing past a candle can knock it over, starting a fire. A dog investigating the candle can burn its nose.
You might want to consider a candle substitute instead. Many of these create a flickering light which looks just like a candle, yet do not create a fire hazard as real candle do.
A fire in the fireplace can also be a problem, especially for nosy puppies and kittens. Make sure your fireplace screen is tight to the fireplace with no gaps where a puppy or kitten could squeeze in.
Holiday Decorations
Before you begin decorating your house for the holidays, just keep your pet's safety in mind. Any long, flowing strings (such as tinsel on the Christmas tree) will attract a kitten or cat's attention and if the cat ingests any of the strings, it can cause life threatening problems in the intestinal tract.
Make sure electrical cords are tucked safely away and that the holiday tree is well anchored. If you put preservative in the tree's water, keep the trees stand well covered so your pet doesn't drink the treated water. Mistletoe and holly are poisonous to pets so use them outside, or inside keep them out of your pet's reach and quickly pick up any fallen berries or leaves.
This time of year is great fun. We get together with family and friends and we relax from the stresses we normally face. However, it is important to keep our four legged family safe, too. So take care as you begin your holiday decorations, and even your pets will have Happy Holidays!
Chocolate has been well publicized as toxic to pets but you may not know that it only takes eight ounces of dark chocolate to kill a small dog. Cats, for the most part, are not as attracted to chocolate as they don't have the taste receptors to sweets that people and dogs have, but chocolate is just as deadly to cats should the cat eat any.
Dogs are attracted to sweets and this can have some serious consequences. If you have eggnog with alcohol in it, perhaps for a party, make sure all the leftover glasses are picked up. A dog who licks up the leftovers could suffer from potentially life-threatening alcohol poisoning.
Other foods that can cause problems for dogs and cats include raw or cooked bones from meats (including the Christmas goose), grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, and garbage.
Candles and Fire
If you enjoy the sight, smell and warmth of candles, just be careful with them and make sure you put out the flame when you leave the room. A kitten or cat dashing past a candle can knock it over, starting a fire. A dog investigating the candle can burn its nose.
You might want to consider a candle substitute instead. Many of these create a flickering light which looks just like a candle, yet do not create a fire hazard as real candle do.
A fire in the fireplace can also be a problem, especially for nosy puppies and kittens. Make sure your fireplace screen is tight to the fireplace with no gaps where a puppy or kitten could squeeze in.
Holiday Decorations
Before you begin decorating your house for the holidays, just keep your pet's safety in mind. Any long, flowing strings (such as tinsel on the Christmas tree) will attract a kitten or cat's attention and if the cat ingests any of the strings, it can cause life threatening problems in the intestinal tract.
Make sure electrical cords are tucked safely away and that the holiday tree is well anchored. If you put preservative in the tree's water, keep the trees stand well covered so your pet doesn't drink the treated water. Mistletoe and holly are poisonous to pets so use them outside, or inside keep them out of your pet's reach and quickly pick up any fallen berries or leaves.
This time of year is great fun. We get together with family and friends and we relax from the stresses we normally face. However, it is important to keep our four legged family safe, too. So take care as you begin your holiday decorations, and even your pets will have Happy Holidays!
