By Cheri Galatiuk, DVM

The Holiday Season is a festive time to enjoy visiting with friends and family.  This time, however, can pose dangers to our furry friends.

There are numerous hazards that are more prevalent around the holiday season.  Below is a list of information on some of the most common holiday hazards.

Chocolate: almost everyone knows that chocolate is not good for pets.  Chocolate has the chemical theobromine in it, which is not well tolerated by cats and dogs.  The amount of theobromine in chocolate depends on how dark the chocolate is.  Baker’s chocolate has the most theobromine whereas light milk chocolate has the least.  How toxic the chocolate is depends on the size of the animal, the amount of chocolate ingested and the type of chocolate. 

If your pet has eaten chocolate, first contact your veterinarian.  The veterinarian, depending on the above factors, may ask you to induce vomiting.  If it has been several hours, the chocolate may have already been absorbed.  At this point it is important to monitor for signs of toxicity.  These signs are similar to a caffeine overdose in humans.  Symptoms include acting uneasy, tremors, diarrhea and even seizures.  Your pet can die if it has absorbed enough theobromine.  If your dog begins to show any signs of chocolate toxicity, it is important to have your pet examined by a veterinarian. 

Christmas Plants: Poinsettias, Christmas Cacti and Holly are a beautiful holiday addition to any household.  Although they are not extremely toxic to pets they can upset the stomachs of both cats and dogs and therefore they should be kept out of their reach. 

Mistletoe should be kept high and out of the reach of our pets.  Although serious poisonings with mistletoe are rare, they have the potential to cause depression, vomiting or possibly even heart problems at high levels.  If you suspect your dog or cat has eaten mistletoe, call your veterinarian.  They may ask you to induce vomiting.       

Christmas Decorations: Christmas decorations are festive but have the potential to ruin you and your pet’s holiday.  Tinsel is very attractive for all animals and can cause serious problems if ingested.  Avoid decorating with tinsel.  Other ornaments can cause intestinal blockages if chewed and ingested.  Keep these out of reach of pets or supervise your pet while near decorations. 

Christmas dinner: Although we tend to celebrate the holidays feasting on filling and fattening foods, your pets should not!  Your pet may seem to enjoy having a bite of turkey with gravy or a lick of pie, but these can cause serious stomach upsets a few hours to days later.  Even if you think that the food is safe, if it is new to your pet it still can cause an angry gut.  Avoid giving table scraps all together.  However, if you must give your pet a taste of Christmas dinner, offer them a small piece of lean turkey breast or a few vegetables.  Never give turkey or chicken bones as they splinter easily and can cause serious problems.  Also make sure to properly dispose of the trash so Fido or Fluffball can’t get anywhere near it. 

Hope these tips help you and your pet to have a wonderful holiday season!