Keep Fido Safe During the Holidays

Christmas time is here which means... Christmas trees, ornaments, holiday parties, baking and more! While this is a festive and fun time of the year, it's important to keep in mind that holiday decorations and festivities can pose potential dangers for our dogs and pets. Below is a listing of the top three most common holiday hazards for pets:

1. Rich Food & the Well-Intentioned Guest

Visitors (and Brian) are often the worst offenders when it comes to giving dogs food samples that will upset their stomachs—or worse. With rich holiday foods around, your dog may be begging more than usual for human food that doesn't agree with his/her stomach. Ask your guests to resist those puppy eyes and keep the human food away from Fido! Rich foods can cause stomach problems and pancreatitis and make your dog very sick. Also, keep your pet away from cooked bones: they can splinter or get lodged in your pet's throat or cause serious damage by puncturing his/her intestinal tract.

2. The Christmas Tree

If you have put a live Christmas tree up in your home, continue reading on. If you have put a fake Christmas tree up in your home, skip to = ).

O.K. live tree folks, are you still with me? First, I want to say you guys rock! In my opinion, it just isn't Christmas without a live tree and the smell of evergreen in the house. So, what do you need to do to keep your dog safe? Sweep tree needles up regularly or fence off your tree to separate your dog and tree. Tree needles are very sharp and can easily get stuck in your dog's paws or throat. Some dogs may even drink the water from the tree. Be sure to avoid adding preservatives to the tree stand water and carefully cover the stand with a tree skirt so your pet can't get to it.

= ) Welcome back fake tree folks... If you've adorned your tree with twinkly lights, cover electric cords for your tree lights so Fido can't chew them and electrocute him/herself. And let's not forget about the ornaments - some dogs play with ornaments as if they were toys. Ornaments sometimes fall off of the tree and break into small pieces on the floor and ornament hooks can easily fall too. If swallowed or ingested such items could get lodged in your pet's throat or intestines. Frequently check your tree and the area surrounding it for fallen ornaments and ornament hooks. Lastly, make sure your tree is anchored well so your dog can't knock it over. While it may be funny to think of grandma getting run over by a reindeer, I can assure you that it would be no laughing matter if Fido got squashed by the tree.

3. Presents

You're probably wondering, how can a present be bad for a dog, right? Well, the danger that I'm actually referring to is the gift paper, ribbons, and bows that we wrap our presents with. Shiny bows, ribbons, and paper can be particularly appealing to dogs, especially when they're placed on the floor underneath the Christmas tree. Any item that a dog swallows, including string and ribbons can become what vets refer to as a foreign body. Swallowing any of these things could require an emergency visit to the vet and surgery.

While all of the dangers described above can be hazardous to your pooch, they can also be easily avoided. Please take time to ensure that your pets are safe and happy during the holiday season.