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At Lakewood the holiday season is in full swing… Dr. Bill has reassembled his christmas train set and the office is decked out in its christmas decor. We are careful with the holiday decorations around the office as we don’t want to pose a hazard to any of our “furry” clients. In all the excitement of the holiday season, it is important to remember that sometimes celebrations can be stressful to our pets, and some decorations and holiday treats can be dangerous.AVOID Holiday Food Items That Could Cause Problems For Your Pet
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocolate (baker’s, semi-sweet, milk chocolate)
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- Coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans)
- Table scraps – especially turkey and ham
- Onions, onion powder
- Fatty foods
- Salt
- Yeast dough
PLANTS
- Lilies that may be found in holiday flower arrangements could be deadly to your cat. Many types of lily, such as Tiger, Asian, Japanese Show, Easter, Stargazer, and the Casa Blanca, can cause kidney failure in cats.
- Poinsettias are generally over-rated in toxicity. If ingested, poinsettias can be irritating to the mouth and stomach, and may cause mild vomiting or nausea.
- Mistletoe has the potential to cause heart problems. However, mistletoe ingestion usually only causes gastrointestinal upset.
- Holly ingestion could cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and lethargy.
To keep your pet safe year-round, view a list of toxic and non-toxic plants.
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDS
- Christmas tree water may contain fertilizers, which, if ingested, can cause stomach upset. Stagnant tree water can be breeding grounds for bacteria, which can also lead to vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea, if ingested.
- Electric cords– Avoid animal exposure to electric cords. If they were chewed, they could electrocute your pet. Cover up or hide electric cords, never let your pet chew on them.
- Ribbons or tinsel can get caught up in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction.
- Batteries contain corrosives. If ingested they can cause ulceration to the mouth, tongue, and the rest of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Ornaments and hooks can break and cut foot pads, irritate the stomach if eaten, or cause intestinal obstruction.
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- Potpourris are popular household fragrances commonly used during the holiday season. Pets are often exposed to liquid potpourri by drinking from simmer pots or from spilling the containers upon themselves. Oral exposures result following grooming. Exposure of pets to some types of liquid potpourris can result in severe oral, skin, and eye damage. Dry potpourri generally doesn’t cause those issues, but there may be problems due to possibly toxic plant ingestion or intestinal obstruction.