Holiday Hazards

Years ago, a friend told me a story.  Her cat Elmer carried a few extra pounds.  He was, in fact, pushing 20 pounds.  One year, Elmer took it upon himself to scale the family’s Christmas tree.  The entire family watched in horror as the tree bent, bent some more, then ultimately crashed to the ground, sending one very surprised cat scrambling and several ornaments scattering.  Fortunately, aside from his wounded pride and a few broken ornaments, there were no injuries and everyone had a good laugh.  While a funny story, it highlights the fact that, as we celebrate the holiday season, hazards abound for our furry friends.  And while many hazards pass after the holidays, many persist through the brisk winter weather we Wisconsinites must endure.  Let’s take a look at some of the more common winter hazards for cats and dogs.

The Christmas tree
Like Elmer, many cats and dogs may think a Christmas tree is a veritable playground.  But be careful with your tree and what you place on and under it.  Ingestion of needles – yes, this does happen – and ingestion of water contaminated with bacteria and chemicals from a live Christmas tree can result in stomach upset. Keep decorations out of your pet’s reach!  Recently, a friend of mine who is an emergency veterinarian, had to perform surgery to remove an ornament hook from a dog’s intestines!  Tinsel and ribbon on the tree and packages are particularly tantalizing for cats, but ingestion can cause a life – threatening intestinal obstruction. Don’t forget that many of the plants we cherish during the holidays including Poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly are all poisonous to pets.  Candles and lights pose a hazard as well so use caution with curious pups and cats.  

Guests
Yes, I said guests.  Really.  In a former life, I practiced as an emergency veterinarian.  One of the most common problems I encountered was ingestion of prescription medications.  Dogs do this.  A lot.  Often, the medication was intended for the guilty party or a housemate, but I was always surprised at how many times a dog had ingested a houseguest’s medication that was left sitting out.  Houseguests may also be more inclined to slip your pet goodies from the table that can cause a bellyache or even worse, pancreatitis or poisoning. Common culprits are chocolate, fatty cuts of meat, and candy or gum containing xylitol.  Pets, and this is often true for cats, may also become stressed with the extra chaos guests bring to a house.  Set ground rules with guests.  Make sure they know what your dog or cat can and can’t have, remind them to keep medications tucked safely away, and give your pet a safe haven if they seem anxious.

Food 
What’s the saying?  It’s Thanksgiving, time to set the scale back 10 pounds.  Goodies are such an important part of the holidays.  Not only does this wreak havoc with our waistlines, it could end up causing problems for your pets.  Most people are aware that chocolate can cause problems, but many don’t know that xylitol, a sweetener used in gum and other candies can be very dangerous for dogs. See our previous blog for more information on xylitol.  Fatty cuts of meat can, at best cause vomiting or diarrhea, or at worse can cause pancreatitis, a potentially very serious condition.  Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in some dogs, so make sure to avoid giving these as treats and don’t let your dog or cats eat significant quantities of onion or garlic as both can cause anemia.  

The Great Wide Outdoors
Whether you like it or not, winter has finally arrived in Wisconsin.  Hypothermia and frostbite are serious concerns in both dogs and cats that venture outdoors.  Thin, older, and sick animals are at higher risk, but don’t be fooled into thinking healthy pets can’t develop problems.  Limit your pet’s time outdoors and consider booties to protect tender tootsies.  Be careful of de-icing products as these can be caustic and cause foot pain and lameness.  Look for products that are pet safe if you need to use anything and clean your pet’s paws well after they’ve been outdoors to remove any residual salt.  And speaking of ice, be very careful of thin ice on our lakes and smaller bodies of water.  Even though it’s finally gotten cold, the mild fall and winter means that when the ice finally comes, it may not be as strong as we would expect this time of year.

There’s a lot going on this time of year and it’s easy to get distracted but taking stock of your house now and removing any hazards could prevent some potentially serious problems.

All of us at Hallett Veterinary Hospital wish you a blessed holiday season and New Year filled with happiness and good health.

Check out this video on Pets and Holiday Foods from our friends at Veterinary News Network.

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