5 Best Pet Safety Tips – Christmas Edition!

Yes, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! If you have a pet, it can be even more joyous. That said, unfortunately it’s also the time of year where animals like to get a little TOO festive and have a tendency to get into a bit more trouble. For this reason, we want to help you avoid situations like your dog ingesting five boxes of Ferrero Rocher while you are at midnight mass or your kitty cat swallowing pretty pink ribbons while unwrapping your sister’s generous gift of a value pack of polka dot granny panties. With a little bit of help from our friends in the vet industry and a whack of experienced and loving pet owners, we’ve assembled a list of the top 5 Best Christmas safety tips.

1. Tinsel – to have or have not?

Quite simply friends, if you have a domestic cat or dog, tinsel is perhaps not the best idea for your tree. In case you haven’t noticed, dogs like to eat everything. I’m sure you know that from the time your dog pooped out part of a sock or vomited up condoms (true story!). Cats, on the other hand, are all about the texture – like Ripley, a Himalayan who loves chewing on plastic bags or Stanley, a Siamese who gnaws on wool whenever he gets an opportunity (RIP to my favorite scarf). Tinsel can unfortunately cause significant intestinal damage while going through the digestive system and can be very expensive to repair or worst case scenario: lead to an untimely death. What to do: if your puppy or kitty happens to accidentally get their chomps on some tinsel, and you have discovered this by the few strands hanging out of their balloon knot (a.k.a their butt), resist the urge to pull it (as it may cause damage to their intestines) – call your vet instead. On a very small bright side, as you’re carrying your pet to the car, people will think you’re off to cheerleading practice…or a Madonna video shoot.

2. Chocolate – not the sweetest idea.

It’s decadent and it’s divine, and for most women it’s a cheap therapist. For cats and dogs, it’s completely toxic. Keep your wrapped boxes of chocolates hidden away until you are ready to give them out or unwrap them – otherwise, chances are they’ll be sniffed out and your pet won’t stop until they satisfy their sick curiosity!

To let them enjoy a tasty treat, our top pick for cats is Feline Greenies Dental Cat Treats and for dogs, Greenies Dental Chews Dog Treats. We love the Greenies brand because pets gobble them up at the same time, they’re low in calories, easily digested and keep their teeth clean and in fabulous condition.

What to do: if your pet accidentally goes cuckoo for cocoa, call your vet and keep the wrapper (so they know exactly what your pet ingested). If your vet is closed, call poison control ASAP.

3. Turkey Bones – when a boner is a bad idea.

This goes out to all the dog lovers who think it’s a good idea to give your dog a big fat turkey bone to chew on. What are you, a bird brain? Just because the bird is the word, this doesn’t mean that your dog is an exception to this colossal rule. The bottom line is this: turkey bones are a bad idea because they are a choking hazard, and if broken down and consumed, it can lead to damage in the gastrointestinal tract. Take good care of your dog’s gut and don’t be a turkey (okay, that’s officially the last one). What to do: go to your nearest emergency clinic.

4. Unattended Christmas Tables

We’ve all seen those commercials where some cute dog sneaks a piece of food from the table, or a christmas cookie. It looks cute on TV, but let me tell you my friends, our vet contacts have seen some scary situations, but most of all, the big “P” word: pancreatitis. In short, the pancreas breaks down the fat in food. If you’re pup takes a bite of this and a bite of that, chances are that there is too much fat in that savory food than their little guts can handle and it can lead to death. What to do: have the table supervised at all times and do not leave it unattended…kinda like what you’d do with the liquor cabinet if Lindsey Lohan was going to come over.

5. Stay safe and ALWAYS use protection…ON THEIR FEET!

Pine needles, salt, ice…all items that can do major damage to a doggy’s paws. Especially at this time of year, it’s good to be mindful that we make sure our pets are not only safe, but comfortable. To protect your dog’s feet from the elements, check out our 5 Best Boots & Footware page. If your dog is just not diggin’ the boots thang and would rather go commando, check out this amazing all-natural, organic product called Only Natural Pet Soothe & Shield Paw Balm. This stuff has received rave reviews, is reasonably priced and is great for not just protecting paws, but moisturizing them. A protected pet is a happy pet! Stay safe and happy holidays!!!