The holidays are by far the best time of the year. Your house is all decked out for the season, and there’s tensile and holly everywhere. While the festivities are easy to get swept up in, you must remember your four-legged friends and the potential dangers.
Veterinarian offices commonly get calls from frantic clients because their pet ate or got caught in something and is sick. Here are seven of the most common holiday injuries.
1. Eating Poinsettias
While there are many myths about poinsettias and their destructive powers, it’s not true. Your animal might get an upset stomach by eating a leaf of this plant, but it’s not anything of considerable concern.
If they have uncontrollable vomiting or diarrhea, this can increase the risk of dehydration, and they should be seen. However, usually, pets are just fine.
2. Chomping on Ornament Hooks
The good news is that the risks are usually minimal if your pet swallows an ornament hook. It is possible that this hook can scrape their esophagus on the way down, but they will likely pass this thin wire without issue. It can be a medical emergency if the hook lodges in their throat or windpipe.
3. Consuming Medications
You’re likely to have guests in and out of your home for the season, and many of them will bring medications. It’s not uncommon for pets to eat pharmaceuticals. While most will spit them out, some will ingest them. It’s always best to call your vet immediately to see if there’s any harm from the med taken.
Some pills, like blood pressure, painkillers, and cholesterol meds, can be deadly. The ASPCA Poison Control can also help with questions regarding these issues.
4. Tangling With a Christmas Cactus
Some plants are just irresistible to a curious pet. Tangling with a cactus can be a painful experience, but it does happen occasionally.
Unless the animal gets a spike in its eye or another tender area, remove the spine and wipe the cut with soap and water to cleanse it. You should have them seen immediately if their eyesight is at risk.
5. Eating Chocolate
The Pet Hospitals receive more calls about pets eating chocolate than anything else during the holidays. You know how tempting it is to have all those goodies around, so you can’t blame Fido for wanting a taste. If a small amount of chocolate is consumed, you can expect just mild stomach problems.
However, if they eat a lot of it, then it can cause things like arrhythmias and seizures. If you don’t know how much they ate, it’s always best to have a vet examine them to be safe.
6. Twisted in Christmas Lights
Most animals can’t resist twinkling lights. We often get calls from cat parents because their precious feline tangled and bit through electrical wires. While visions of the movie Christmas Vacation come to mind, there’s usually no damage from being tangled up.
Just free the animal and move the light wires, so they can’t become entangled again. If they happen to bite into the wires and get a jolt, it usually doesn’t do anything more than teach them not to do it again.
7. Ingesting Grapes or Raisins
While some things your pet can eat won’t hurt them, when they ingest grapes or raisins, it’s a cause for alarm. Call your vet immediately if they consume these foods. That fruit cake that you can’t resist can be deadly for your pet. These fruits can cause diarrhea, lethargy, abdominal pain, and renal failure.
You can’t help your pets from getting excited and being a little curious about all the festivities. Should you encounter any of these common issues, assess the situation, see if you need vet care, and make some adjustments to prevent the event from reoccurring. By being proactive, you and your fur babies can have a happy and safe holiday season.
