RandomWiktor
Rabid Betta Activist
**Important safety tips to make sure you AND your beloved pets have a safe and happy holiday. Please re-post on forums and myspace**
The holiday season is a joyous time of the year, and one of our most cherished traditions is decorating the house to celebrate Christmas, New Year's and Hanukkah. However, many items we traditionally keep around the house this time of the year can pose serious dangers to our pets. Here are some of those items, and tips on how to prevent a tradgedy in the midst of your celebrations:
Plant Dangers
Nothing makes a house more festive that a gorgeous Christmas plant, be it the Christmas Tree, a potted plant, or mistletoe. However, some popular choices are actually quite toxic to cats, dogs, and other animals!
Poinsettias - These colorful red flowers, native to tropical climates and thus kept indoors during the cold months of winter, are one of the most popular gift plants given around the holidays. Unfortunately, they are also highly toxic to cats and dogs. The safest bet is keeping the plant in a room with no animals, or that the animal does not have acess to. If you must keep it in the same area as your animals, please place the plant someplace inacessable to your cat or dog.
Christmas Cactus - the colorful flowers of this low maintenance plant can also be deadly. Cats seem to be effected more commonly, but perhaps this is because they tend to have acess to areas with plants. As mentioned above, avoid aquiring this plant, and if it is given as a gift, place the cactus far away from any pets.
Holly Berries, Ivy, and Mistletoe - Common parts of wreathes and other festive adornments, we thankfully are more apt to use artificial versions of these plants today. However, if you are a traditionalist, please make sure wreathes containing these three toxic items are kept outside, or up and away from pets. Just watch for those pieces of plants that may fall off and be ingested by a pet!
Christmas Tree
Most pets are not directly harmed by Christmas Trees. However, some of the items we use to decorate, as well as physical hazzards of the tree (real or fake), must be considered.
Live pine trees (dogs/cats) - Much like many humans, some pets have allergies to pine. If you notice lethargy, crusted eyes, sneezing, and drooling after the addition of your tree, you may have an allergic pet. Ideally, one would remove the tree, but because of the obvious cost issues and reluctance of disposing of the tree, please instead prevent the pet from chewing on the tree, and if possible, do not allow him/her to enter the same room. Your vet may be able to make further reccomendations.
Live pine trees (small animals) - small animals may be more sensitive to pine than larger ones. It is thought that pine can worsen respritory problems in mice and rats, and there is evidence that prolonged exposure is toxic to the liver and kidneys. So, if you have a pet rodent, avoid keeping him/her in the same room as the tree. Exotic birds may be sensitive to the sap of pine trees, so it is not suggested that these animals be allowed contact with the tree. Many pet insect and arachnids, such as tarantulas, scorpions, and cockroaches, are also harmed by pine, and should be kept well away from any pine decorations. Finally, any fish tanks in close proximity to the tree should have a full hood covering the entire tank so that no pine needles fall in the water.
Cats and Trees - Cats are notorious for climbing Christmas trees due to thier instinct to climb and hunt. Allured by decorations and lights, some cats will sit in the boughs or play with the ornaments. This, however, poses a danger, wether your tree is real or fake. Toppled trees don't just break decorations and cause an inconvenience - they can hurt your cat! Shards of ornaments and crushing injuries are all very real dangers if a tree is toppled. So, discourage your cat from climbing by placing StickyPaws or double sided tape around the base of the tree, and squirt him/her with a strong jet of room temperature water from a spray-bottle. The cat should soon learn that the tree is not a play thing.
Tinsel - The ingestion of tinsel leads to the choking and digestive blockage deaths of pets every holiday season. The shimmering and movement of tinself is attractive to most animals; cats, dogs, ferrets, and rabbits are common candidates for injury. Because of its inability to be digested, and difficulty to chew, tinsel that is swallowed easily lodges in the pet's throat, stomach, or intestines. It can twist around the intestines, ruining blood supply and killing the tissue. So, if your pet is allowed in the same room as your Christmas tree, please do not use tinsel.
Spray-on Snow - Many fake trees especially have spray-on snow that comes from an aerosol can. This product should never be used with a pet in the room as it may give off harmful fumes. Birds and rodents are especially sensitive, but leave all pets out of the area and make sure windows are open for ventillation while applying. Spray-on snow may also be harmful when ingested.
Miscelaneous Dangers
Electrical Chords - Many pets, particularly rodents and rabbits, have a bad habit of chewing on electrical chord. This can result in a deadly electric shock, or worse yet, a fire. Make sure all chords are "pet proofed" by either keeping them out of the animal's reach, or securing them with tape to the wall so that they can not be gripped and chewed on. Always monitor pets while they are out getting exersize in rooms with chords.
Candles, incense, and minorahs - Scented candles and Hanukkah minoras can cause serious fires when left unattended. Cats especially are notorious for knocking things off of shelves, so please do not leave candles and minorahs lit alone in a room with a cat. Burn injuries may also occur when a curious pet sniffs at the enticing flame, so watch yor pets closely. Furthermore, avoid the use of scented candles and incense in rooms with birds or small mammals; these animals are exceptionally sensitive to the smoke and chemicals put off by these festive items.
Antifreeze - Allthough antifreeze is beginning to include bitter additives to prevent previous problems of pets drinking the substance, this popular product should still be kept locked up and away from pets.
Road/driveway salt - Salt and other mixtures we use to eliminate ice on the roads, sidewalk, and driveway can cause injury to your pet's feet in the form of chemical burns and ulcerations from the high salt concentration. They are also deadly when injested. Please, keep your pets leashed, in the yard, or inside when there is salt on the road, sidewalk, or driveway.
Chocolate - Dogs and cats have difficulty digesting chocolate, and the presence of caffine and large amounts of sugar can cause a dangerously elevated pulse in small animals such as rodents, ferrets, and rabbits. Chocolate left out in dishes can be eaten by pets, so consider candy jars with lids instead. Baking cocoa and chocolate should be placed in a sturdy plastic container when not in use. And please advise your relatives not to share those holiday cookies and cake with pets.
Hypothermia/Cold Temperatures - Temperatures in the winter can become bitter cold, and allthough your pets may be wearing a "fur coat," leaving a pet outside 24/7 in the elements is unacceptable. Provide proper shelter - covered on all sides with a roof and acess door - for when your pet is outside, and stuff this shelter with extra bedding in cold weather. Check the water bowl frequently; water freezes rapidly in cold temperatures, leaving your pet without any water. This can cause serious and deadly dehydration. Along similar lines, make sure food is not burried in snow or frozen with ice.
Do not leave short haired dogs and cats outside in the cold for prolonged periods of time, as the paws and ears may become frostbitten. Prolonged time outside may even lead to hypothermia, especially if the food and water are unuseable due to freezing. Allow all pets inside whenever they appear cold or are begging to come in; your pet will be much happier by the hearth with you than out in the bitter elements.
Make sure all small mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish are kept warm enough; most rodents do poorly in temperatures below 60, the majority of exotic birds are tropical and prefer temps around 70, and reptiles and fish often need heaters and lamps to keep the water/habitat temp elevated. None of these pets should be kept by doors or open windows to prevent drafts, and should not be allowed or kept outside.
Fireworks - On New Year's, fireworks, noise makers, firecrackers, and other loud and frightening items may be upsetting to your pets. Holidays with these loud and festive activities cause many pets to jump fences, run out doors, crash through windows, and otherwise escape as they run in fear for percieved safety elsewhere. Pets should be kept inside during these festivities to prevent straying and injury. If you have a very nervous pet, keep him/her with the family or in a secure room with a TV or radio playing something peaceful. Offer distractions like toys and interactive feeding devices (ie. toys that release treats when the pet properly rolls the toy), and offer quiet reassurance. It is important, however, to not praise a nervous pet, as this will only encourage increasingly panicked behavior. If your pet is at risk of harming itself, talk to your vet about "downers" that will make your pet sedated and sleepy to prevent stress and harm.
Small animals like birds, rabbits, and rodents may be additionally calmed by darkening the room they are in or covering the cage with a towel. Birds especially can harm themselves when spooked, so make sure they are securely caged in a quiet, darkened room.
Thank you for taking the time to read. May you and your pets have a safe and happy holiday!
The holiday season is a joyous time of the year, and one of our most cherished traditions is decorating the house to celebrate Christmas, New Year's and Hanukkah. However, many items we traditionally keep around the house this time of the year can pose serious dangers to our pets. Here are some of those items, and tips on how to prevent a tradgedy in the midst of your celebrations:
Plant Dangers
Nothing makes a house more festive that a gorgeous Christmas plant, be it the Christmas Tree, a potted plant, or mistletoe. However, some popular choices are actually quite toxic to cats, dogs, and other animals!
Poinsettias - These colorful red flowers, native to tropical climates and thus kept indoors during the cold months of winter, are one of the most popular gift plants given around the holidays. Unfortunately, they are also highly toxic to cats and dogs. The safest bet is keeping the plant in a room with no animals, or that the animal does not have acess to. If you must keep it in the same area as your animals, please place the plant someplace inacessable to your cat or dog.
Christmas Cactus - the colorful flowers of this low maintenance plant can also be deadly. Cats seem to be effected more commonly, but perhaps this is because they tend to have acess to areas with plants. As mentioned above, avoid aquiring this plant, and if it is given as a gift, place the cactus far away from any pets.
Holly Berries, Ivy, and Mistletoe - Common parts of wreathes and other festive adornments, we thankfully are more apt to use artificial versions of these plants today. However, if you are a traditionalist, please make sure wreathes containing these three toxic items are kept outside, or up and away from pets. Just watch for those pieces of plants that may fall off and be ingested by a pet!
Christmas Tree
Most pets are not directly harmed by Christmas Trees. However, some of the items we use to decorate, as well as physical hazzards of the tree (real or fake), must be considered.
Live pine trees (dogs/cats) - Much like many humans, some pets have allergies to pine. If you notice lethargy, crusted eyes, sneezing, and drooling after the addition of your tree, you may have an allergic pet. Ideally, one would remove the tree, but because of the obvious cost issues and reluctance of disposing of the tree, please instead prevent the pet from chewing on the tree, and if possible, do not allow him/her to enter the same room. Your vet may be able to make further reccomendations.
Live pine trees (small animals) - small animals may be more sensitive to pine than larger ones. It is thought that pine can worsen respritory problems in mice and rats, and there is evidence that prolonged exposure is toxic to the liver and kidneys. So, if you have a pet rodent, avoid keeping him/her in the same room as the tree. Exotic birds may be sensitive to the sap of pine trees, so it is not suggested that these animals be allowed contact with the tree. Many pet insect and arachnids, such as tarantulas, scorpions, and cockroaches, are also harmed by pine, and should be kept well away from any pine decorations. Finally, any fish tanks in close proximity to the tree should have a full hood covering the entire tank so that no pine needles fall in the water.
Cats and Trees - Cats are notorious for climbing Christmas trees due to thier instinct to climb and hunt. Allured by decorations and lights, some cats will sit in the boughs or play with the ornaments. This, however, poses a danger, wether your tree is real or fake. Toppled trees don't just break decorations and cause an inconvenience - they can hurt your cat! Shards of ornaments and crushing injuries are all very real dangers if a tree is toppled. So, discourage your cat from climbing by placing StickyPaws or double sided tape around the base of the tree, and squirt him/her with a strong jet of room temperature water from a spray-bottle. The cat should soon learn that the tree is not a play thing.
Tinsel - The ingestion of tinsel leads to the choking and digestive blockage deaths of pets every holiday season. The shimmering and movement of tinself is attractive to most animals; cats, dogs, ferrets, and rabbits are common candidates for injury. Because of its inability to be digested, and difficulty to chew, tinsel that is swallowed easily lodges in the pet's throat, stomach, or intestines. It can twist around the intestines, ruining blood supply and killing the tissue. So, if your pet is allowed in the same room as your Christmas tree, please do not use tinsel.
Spray-on Snow - Many fake trees especially have spray-on snow that comes from an aerosol can. This product should never be used with a pet in the room as it may give off harmful fumes. Birds and rodents are especially sensitive, but leave all pets out of the area and make sure windows are open for ventillation while applying. Spray-on snow may also be harmful when ingested.
Miscelaneous Dangers
Electrical Chords - Many pets, particularly rodents and rabbits, have a bad habit of chewing on electrical chord. This can result in a deadly electric shock, or worse yet, a fire. Make sure all chords are "pet proofed" by either keeping them out of the animal's reach, or securing them with tape to the wall so that they can not be gripped and chewed on. Always monitor pets while they are out getting exersize in rooms with chords.
Candles, incense, and minorahs - Scented candles and Hanukkah minoras can cause serious fires when left unattended. Cats especially are notorious for knocking things off of shelves, so please do not leave candles and minorahs lit alone in a room with a cat. Burn injuries may also occur when a curious pet sniffs at the enticing flame, so watch yor pets closely. Furthermore, avoid the use of scented candles and incense in rooms with birds or small mammals; these animals are exceptionally sensitive to the smoke and chemicals put off by these festive items.
Antifreeze - Allthough antifreeze is beginning to include bitter additives to prevent previous problems of pets drinking the substance, this popular product should still be kept locked up and away from pets.
Road/driveway salt - Salt and other mixtures we use to eliminate ice on the roads, sidewalk, and driveway can cause injury to your pet's feet in the form of chemical burns and ulcerations from the high salt concentration. They are also deadly when injested. Please, keep your pets leashed, in the yard, or inside when there is salt on the road, sidewalk, or driveway.
Chocolate - Dogs and cats have difficulty digesting chocolate, and the presence of caffine and large amounts of sugar can cause a dangerously elevated pulse in small animals such as rodents, ferrets, and rabbits. Chocolate left out in dishes can be eaten by pets, so consider candy jars with lids instead. Baking cocoa and chocolate should be placed in a sturdy plastic container when not in use. And please advise your relatives not to share those holiday cookies and cake with pets.
Hypothermia/Cold Temperatures - Temperatures in the winter can become bitter cold, and allthough your pets may be wearing a "fur coat," leaving a pet outside 24/7 in the elements is unacceptable. Provide proper shelter - covered on all sides with a roof and acess door - for when your pet is outside, and stuff this shelter with extra bedding in cold weather. Check the water bowl frequently; water freezes rapidly in cold temperatures, leaving your pet without any water. This can cause serious and deadly dehydration. Along similar lines, make sure food is not burried in snow or frozen with ice.
Do not leave short haired dogs and cats outside in the cold for prolonged periods of time, as the paws and ears may become frostbitten. Prolonged time outside may even lead to hypothermia, especially if the food and water are unuseable due to freezing. Allow all pets inside whenever they appear cold or are begging to come in; your pet will be much happier by the hearth with you than out in the bitter elements.
Make sure all small mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish are kept warm enough; most rodents do poorly in temperatures below 60, the majority of exotic birds are tropical and prefer temps around 70, and reptiles and fish often need heaters and lamps to keep the water/habitat temp elevated. None of these pets should be kept by doors or open windows to prevent drafts, and should not be allowed or kept outside.
Fireworks - On New Year's, fireworks, noise makers, firecrackers, and other loud and frightening items may be upsetting to your pets. Holidays with these loud and festive activities cause many pets to jump fences, run out doors, crash through windows, and otherwise escape as they run in fear for percieved safety elsewhere. Pets should be kept inside during these festivities to prevent straying and injury. If you have a very nervous pet, keep him/her with the family or in a secure room with a TV or radio playing something peaceful. Offer distractions like toys and interactive feeding devices (ie. toys that release treats when the pet properly rolls the toy), and offer quiet reassurance. It is important, however, to not praise a nervous pet, as this will only encourage increasingly panicked behavior. If your pet is at risk of harming itself, talk to your vet about "downers" that will make your pet sedated and sleepy to prevent stress and harm.
Small animals like birds, rabbits, and rodents may be additionally calmed by darkening the room they are in or covering the cage with a towel. Birds especially can harm themselves when spooked, so make sure they are securely caged in a quiet, darkened room.
Thank you for taking the time to read. May you and your pets have a safe and happy holiday!
