Holiday Hazards

Holiday Hazards

Dr. Christen Woodley



With the holiday season soon approaching, I wanted to take this time as your family veterinarian to discuss some common household materials that may cause a threat to our pet companions. Though some of these may be obvious, others may come as a surprise.
One of our biggest holiday traditions is putting up and decorating the Christmas tree. We want to be aware of risks that may be avoidable if the right precautions are taken. Ornaments are one of the obvious hazards we face because, much like with small children, if consumed they may cause intestinal upset and blockage. The tinsel we use to decorate the tree can also cause intestinal concerns (disease). Cats especially are at risk with their curiosity of linear foreign objects such as string. If ingested, your pet may develop an intestinal obstruction or perforation which may require surgery to repair. (We can see the pet become obstructed and this can be a very serious condition). If you know your pet has consumed tinsel or string, or if they demonstrate gastrointestinal signs such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, anorexia, etc., please contact us immediately.
A hazard source we may not think of is the electrical cording used for the lights on the tree. Pets, especially puppies and kittens, may chew on inappropriate items. Electrical cords can be a seasonal favorite. If this happens, do not touch the pet until the electrical source has been turned off! Then bring your pet to us immediately!

Some people have concerns of their pet drinking the Christmas tree water. This rarely causes complications. The most typical consequence of this behavior is mild GI upset. If your pet eats a small amount of pine needles this should not cause any serious concern and likely result in only mild gastrointestinal (GI) upset. However, if a large quantity of needles is consumed, there may be concern of causing an obstruction. In the unfortunate event that your dog or cat happens to get tree sap on it, you can use olive oil or mayonnaise to try to remove it. Believe it or not, this will work better than shampoo! Around the holidays, we like to decorate with things such as plants and potpourris. Many of the potpourris are heated liquids, and therefore if spilled or consumed can cause damage to the mouth, skin, and intestinal tract if consumed. Try to keep your pets, especially your curious felines, away from the simmer pots. In addition, though many plants do make for nice decoration around the holidays, please be aware that if ingested some can be toxic. Poinsettias are a common topic of discussion, but, believe it or not they actually do not pose much harm. If ingested in a large enough quantity, GI upset is a possibility. Other plants that have minimal toxic risk but potentially cause irritation are mistletoe and the Christmas cactus. Holly, Amaryllis, Peace Lily, Calla lily, and Lily of the Valley are toxic so please contact us if ingestion has occurred. Last, but not least, I am sure we all enjoy our holiday sweets. As many of you know, chocolate may be a good friend to us, it is not so friendly to our furry companions. Baking chocolate is especially toxic, followed in decreasing toxicity by dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and lastly with minimal toxic effects is white chocolate. Please call us immediately if your pet ingests chocolate.
Also, keep in mind that cats especially are drawn to milk type products. They may be enticed by alcoholic beverages such as White Russians, Brandy Alexander, Eggnog, etc. so please do keep them out of reach.
Many families may have elderly relatives visiting that may be on medication for blood pressure, heart conditions, blood thinners, etc. PLEASE, be sure to keep all prescription medication, pain relievers, etc. out of reach of your curious four legged companions!

Time is of the essence in any type of toxin exposure so please contact us immediately if you think your beloved pet has consumed any of these potentially hazardous products. We will be more than happy to guide you through any concerns you may have and any warranted treatment. We want to do everything we can here at the Animal Hospital of Dunedin to ensure that everyone enjoy a safe and happy holiday season.