Happy December! The silly season is upon us, and while it can be great fun for people, there are a few hazards to be mindful of to keep our furry friends safe these holidays.
- Christmas leftovers: Most Christmas foods are too rich for our pets and can cause gastroenteritis and pancreatitis; both of these conditions can be life-threatening if severe enough. Any cooked bones are dangerous to our pets as well. Stick to treats and food made for animals.
- Macadamia nuts: A popular food item at Christmas, macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs and can cause vomiting, muscle weakness and tremors.
- Sultanas, grapes and raisins: While tasty for us, grapes and grape products can cause fatal kidney failure in our pets.
- BBQ skewers: We all love a barbecue this time of year, but metal and bamboo skewers used for meat and vegie skewers will smell awfully tempting to our pets and can cause nasty accidents if swallowed.
- Chocolate: One of the best known toxins to our pets. Dogs and cats can’t break down the dangerous compound in chocolate (theobromine) like we can. This can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, seizures, and even death.
- Decorations: Shiny tinsel and shimmery Christmas baubles might be fun to play with but if they get swallowed they can cause blockages and damage to the gut.
- Ribbon: A staple of Christmas decorating, ribbons can also cause problems in the gut if swallowed.
- The Christmas tree: Cats love to climb, but an unsecured Christmas tree can fall over and cause a nasty accident if kitty decides to jump on. Make sure your tree is firmly anchored.
- Guests: We all love having family and friends over this time of year, but lots of strangers in the house can be stressful to your pets. Make sure they have somewhere safe and people-free they can escape to.
- Christmas lilies: All members of the lily family are devastatingly toxic to cats – even grooming a little of the pollen from a paw can be fatal.
- Snakes: It’s the time of year when snakes are starting to become active. Supervise your pets and take care around long grass, storage sheds and creeks.
- Heat stroke: We’ve already had some scorchers this year. Any pet is at risk, but particularly animals that are overweight or have flat faces like pugs, French bulldogs and Persian cats. Make sure your pet has fresh water available at all times, keep the house cool, and avoid walking your dogs on hot days. And never leave your pet in a car unattended, even for a moment!
