Holiday Dog and Cat Safety Tips

Poisonous holiday plants include holly, mistletoe, poinsettias, and lilies and can cause vomiting and diarrhea or even organ failure and death. Please keep holiday plants out of the reach of your pets!

Please don't use tinsel or angel hair on your trees or use for other decorations. Don't use ribbons or sting to wrap packages because cats and dogs are attracted to eating them and this can cause intestinal blockages.

Keep burning candles, other than flameless, and potpourri pots up high and out of the reach of your pets to avoid possible burn hazards or a fire if they are knocked down.

Chocolate, alcohol, rich fatty foods, uncooked dough, fruits, nuts, and other known toxins like onions, garlic, etc. should be kept out of your pet's reach during the holiday season. Keep your countertops clean and your trash securely locked to avoid their inquisitive searching. Feed your pets pet food before any parties or gatherings so they are less likely to beg or steal food from your guests. Inform all friends and family that your pet's are not to be fed any food treats.

Most of all use common sense for the safety of your beloved furry friends. Happy Holidays!

By Deeli from Richland, WA

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Pet Safety for the upcoming holidays

By Bradley Wallace

Be sure to make this upcoming holiday season safe and enjoyable for everyone in your family by observing the following pet safety tips:

If you have a live Christmas tree, keep the water stand covered. Pine sap mixed with water makes a poisonous drink for your pet. The smell of a live or artificial tree may cause your pet to urine-mark it. It may help to bring the tree into an isolated indoor room for a day or so, so that it smells more like "home."
Pick up any ornament hooks, tinsel or ribbon that fall on the floor. Your pet could experience serious internal injuries if it ingests any of these items. Tinsel is especially lethal and should be avoided when ever possible.
If you have a cat that 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.
Keep holiday treats and candies out of your pet's reach. Additionally, remember wrapped gifts under your tree that may be food items. People food, especially in excess, can make your pet sick. Chocolate, onions, raisins and alcohol can be fatal to dogs!
Secure Christmas trees to a wall or ceiling hook with sturdy fishing line. This will help prevent the tree from toppling over should your pet jump on it or accidentally knock it over.
If you have indoor holiday lights, be sure they don't hang so low that your pet could become entangled in them. Remember to unplug the lights when you're not home to supervise your pet.
If you have a bird, make sure it is safely in its cage if you're lighting any candles. Additionally, lit candles should be kept out of any pet's reach, perhaps high on a counter or table.
Poinsettias, mistletoe berries and some other plants and other popular holiday flowers can cause serious stomach upset for pets. Check with your veterinarian or local poison control center to find out what holiday plants and flowers you need to keep out of your pet's reach. You can also check the Online Pet Encyclopedia at http://www.canadianpetcare.com/encyclopedia.html and look under Pet Health for a list of common plants that can be harmful to pets.

As always if you are not sure about possible hazards for your pets, always practice safety first, and when in doubt ask.

About The Author: The author Bradley Wallace is author and editor for CanadianPetCare.com. Their site provides one of the most comprehensive online locations dedicated to assisting pet owners with daily pet care. CanadianPetCare.com's goal is to continuously enhance your pet's life and your pet care abilities. Visit the site http://www.canadianpetcare.com get your free pet care newsletter and learn more about overall Pet Care, Pet Health, Pet Behavior, Training Pets, Pet Breeds and much more.