Moving into the thick of the holiday season, many of us get “wrapped up” in the hustle and bustle. Reminiscing about times gone by, it can be hard to believe that yet another year has passed.
Newtown Veterinary Specialists sends you our warmest holiday greetings and best wishes for a wonderful New Year! We also offer a gentle but firm reminder: Although the festivities bring us great cheer, it can be a stressful, dangerous time for our furry friends. To help keep your pets happy and safe, we offer a short (but by no means complete) list of holiday dangers and safety tips:
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* Poinsettias: Ingestion of these plants typically results in mild to moderate gastrointestinal tract irritation which may include drooling, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
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Tip: Keep poinsettias well out of the reach of pets. Even better, re-gift them to friends without pets or don’t buy them at all, lovely as they may look.
* Ribbon and tinsel: Although they look lovely on our packages and trees, these items can become caught under the tongue or within the stomach and can cause a linear foreign body obstruction. This may result in intestinal perforation, sepsis and life threatening illness.
Tip: Skip the ribbon and tinsel. The pretty look isn’t worth the possible health risk to pets.
* Macadamia nuts: It’s unknown at this time why macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs. Typical clinical signs include vomiting, incoordination and severe hind limb weakness with occasional tremoring. The prognosis for macadamia nut ingestion is good with clinical signs resolving within 24 to 48 hours.
Tip: Choose other nut varieties to grace your decorative table, but keep all nuts away from pets.
* Christmas tree “preservers:” Sometimes people add preservatives to Christmas tree water that may contain fertilizers, chemicals or medications (aspirin). Some of these preservatives are poisonous while others can cause oral (mouth) ulceration and stomach upset. Also, stagnant tree water can be a breeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea.
Tip: One way to help avoid this harm is to cover the tree water dish fully and securely.
* Lights and extension cords: Pets, especially puppies and kittens, often try to chew them and may get badly burned, shocked or electrocuted.
Tip: Position lights and extension cords so pets can’t easily reach them. Cover cords and wires within reach with flexible plastic tubing that can be bought inexpensively at most hardware stores.
* Ornaments: Metal hooks and glass bulbs can become lodged in the mouth, esophagus or gastrointestinal tract. Also, edible ornaments on the tree may be an irresistible temptation for some pets resulting in accidental ingestion as well as pulling down an improperly secured tree.
Tip: Firstly, secure your tree well. Avoid using edible ornaments. Metal hooks and glass bulbs shouldn’t be placed on lower tree branches where pets can reach them easily. Be very careful not to drop any metal hooks on the floor while trimming your tree.
* Candles: If left unattended, scented candles and Menorahs can pose many problems for your pets and home.
Tip: If you feel that you must use candles, they should never be left unattended.
* Batteries: Ingestion can result in a foreign body obstruction as well as corrosive injury to the mouth and gastrointestinal tract.
Tip: It’s hard to avoid using batteries at this time of year. Be very careful not to leave them lying around, especially the smaller-sized batteries.
* Raw yeast dough and spiked eggnog: Ingestion results in acute alcohol toxicity. This results in stuporous mentation, ataxia, abdominal pain, respiratory depression and, in extreme cases, cardiac arrest.
Tip: It can be easy to miss curious pets’ sneaky moves while we’re busy baking or entertaining. Keep an eye on the eggnog and the dough as well.
If your pet runs into trouble during the holidays, our hospital is staffed 24-hours-a-day with high-quality, internship-trained emergency doctors and a dedicated, caring support staff. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have and we’re able to assist you with all your pet's ailments–no matter how big or small. When in doubt we always advise: If you’re concerned enough to call us, it's probably best to bring your pet in– better safe than sorry.
Happy, safe, healthy holidays to all!
