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Dumb Friends League encourages everyone
to follow these tips
to help ensure an enjoyable holiday season:
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If you have a Christmas tree, keep the water stand
covered. Pine sap mixed with water makes a poisonous drink for your
pet. Keep in mind, too, that the smell of a live tree, or an artificial
one, may cause your pet to urine-mark it. Therefore, it will be helpful
to bring the tree into an isolated indoor room for a day or so, so
that it smells more like "home."
-
Pick up ornament hooks and ornaments that may have
fallen on the floor. If a pet picks these up, it could injure the
insides of its mouth, and even more damage could be done if your pet
ingests it! Additionally, if your cat is tempted to play with the
ornaments on your tree, decorate the bottom third of the tree with
non-breakable, plastic or wooden ornaments, or decorate only the top
two-thirds of your tree. You may feel your tree looks funny, but at
least you won't be spending the holidays at an emergency veterinary
clinic.
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Keep holiday treats and candies out of your pet's
reach. Consider what you've placed out on your coffee table and how
accessible it is to your dog or cat. Additionally, remember gifts
under your tree that may be food items. People food, especially in
excess, could make your pet quite sick. Chocolate, in fact, can be
fatal to dogs!
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Secure your Christmas tree to a wall or ceiling hook
with sturdy fishing line. This will help prevent the tree from toppling
over should your pet decide to jump on it to get to a tempting ornament,
or should a large, wagging tail hit it.
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If you have indoor holiday lights, be sure that they
don't hang so low that your pet could become entangled in them. Remember
to also unplug the lights when you're not home to supervise your pets.
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As you're shopping, visiting friends and relatives,
and preparing for visitors to your home, be sure to keep your pet's
exercise and feeding schedule regulated. Remember the importance of
daily walks for your dog and playtime for your cat, cleaning the litter
box, as well as grooming your pet.
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If you're lighting any candles, is your bird safely
in its cage? You wouldn't want your bird to fly by your burning candles.
Additionally, your lit candles should be out of your dog's or cat's
reach, perhaps high on a counter or table.
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Be wary of tinsel, string, and thin ribbon around
the house. If your pet ingests them, it could experience serious internal
injuries, or worse.
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Poinsettias, mistletoe berries, and other plants and
flowers that are popular around the holidays are poisonous to pets.
Check with your veterinarian or the Rocky Mountain Poison Center at
303-739-1123 to find out what holiday plants and flowers you'll want
to keep out of your pet's reach.
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