Whether you welcome a new furry friend to the family this holiday season or you’re just excited to celebrate with your family pets, make sure you keep these holiday safety tips in mind!
If you experience a pet emergency during the holidays, choose Steel City Emergency Vets in Birmingham for your animal hospital needs.
Holiday Safety Tips
The holidays can be an extremely hectic time — especially with pets. But we’ve put together a list of holiday safety tips to help keep your pets safe and healthy over the holiday season!
Holiday Plants
When it comes to plants, some holiday favorites can be toxic or poisonous for your pets, including:
- Poinsettias: Their bright red leaves make them a holiday classic, but if you have cats or dogs that like to nibble on plants, poinsettias can lead to nausea, vomiting, and other health problems.
- Holly: Holly is a staple in many homes during the winter, but the Christmas and English varieties are more dangerous than poinsettias, irritating their throat and causing nausea.
- Pine: Pine needles contain oils that can cause nausea, vomiting, drooling, and irritation in your pet’s mouth.
- Mistletoe: Mistletoe is a holiday tradition that can be found in most homes, but if a pet ingests mistletoe, the toxins can cause a drop in blood pressure, hallucinations, breathing problems, and other unusual behavior.
If you have any of these holiday plants in your home to help celebrate the season, make sure they’re placed in a space where your furry friends can’t reach them!
Watch Your Presents
Nothing says Christmas like presents under the tree. But before you place all of your gifts on the floor, think about your pets. Are there any gifts that contain food or other non-pet-friendly items? Consider storing those items off the ground or in a closet until the special day.
Hide Electrical Cords
If you go all out decorating the inside of your house, consider how you place all of your electrical cords — especially if you have a furry friend who likes to chew on them! Use cord covers or tuck them under a rug or out of reach.
Watch Your Surfaces
The holiday season is filled with lots of delicious treats, ranging from smoked ham to pies and holiday cookies. If you have a dog or cat that likes to swipe food from the counter, be extra cautious over the holidays!
If your sweet treats are made with chocolate, learn more about the dangers of chocolate for your dog in our previous blog post.
Trust Our Birmingham Animal Hospital
We hope that these pet safety tips keep all of your furry friends safe this holiday season. Our animal hospital team at Steel City Emergency Vets in Birmingham is here to help you with an emergency! Read through our blog for more tips for your pets, and call us today for assistance: