8 tips to keep your pet safe this Christmas
The tree is decorated, the presents are wrapped, the food is on its way, and there's a festive feeling in the air. Christmas is coming. It's an exciting time not just for us, but for our furry friends too, who also have plenty of opportunities for fun. Decorations to play with and wrapping paper to hide under – the choice is endless. For our pets, this can bring a whole range of new hazards and strange habits. Here are a few tips to help keep your pet happy and healthy throughout the festive period.
Tip 1: Decorate with your pet in mind
Christmas tree
In a matter of seconds, the Christmas tree can topple over and drag your cat or dog down with it (there are plenty of videos online proving this). Make sure the tree is secured to a stand or weighted down properly so it can't fall. If you water the tree with treated water, make sure your pet can't drink it.
Tinsel and ribbons
It's hard to keep a cat away from hanging tinsel or ribbons. However, they can easily get stuck in her stomach or intestines, causing serious damage that often needs surgery. Avoid tying ribbons or tinsel around your pet's neck as a "collar" or "bow", as they can pose a choking hazard.
Christmas ornaments
We recommend not giving your pet the chance to steal your ornaments, by keeping them out of reach or somewhere safe if they're likely to take an interest. As a rule, if an ornament is safe for small children, it's safer for your pet too. Avoid ornaments with pins, hooks or shiny surfaces. If you have low-hanging ornaments that your cat might bat at or your dog might chew, make sure they're made of a safe material (or sometimes it's simply better to keep them out of reach).
Power cables and Christmas lights
A playful puppy or curious kitten can chew through electrical cables in minutes. To avoid injuring your pet, tidy your cables away and keep them out of sight. Most hardware shops sell cable organisers that help with this.
Presents under the tree.
If you're leaving presents under the tree, make sure they don't contain any food your pet could get at. All too often our crafty friends find the box of chocolates and end up needing our help!
Tip 2: Keep the feast for the family
While it's lovely to include your pet in the family celebrations, be careful about feeding your dog leftovers from the Christmas lunch or dinner. Fat trimmed off meat, whether cooked or raw, can trigger pancreatitis. Cooked bones are also dangerous, as they're very brittle and can easily get stuck in your dog's throat or stomach. Don't give your dog chocolate or Christmas pudding, as both contain ingredients that are toxic to dogs.
Everyone loves finding chocolate in their stocking on Christmas morning, but make sure your dog doesn't find it first. Please don't share these treats with your furry friends, especially dark chocolate. Chocolate isn't just toxic — it can also upset their stomach and lead to an unexpected Christmas mess!
Tip 3: Vaccinate your pet
If you're leaving your pet at a pet hotel this Christmas, or visiting friends with animals, make sure all your pet's vaccinations are up to date. If your pet isn't vaccinated, you can book a vaccination appointment online through HAPPY PET NET.
Tip 4: Avoid Christmas lilies, poinsettias and mistletoe
Although they look beautiful, all lilies (and the water in the vase) are toxic to cats, causing kidney failure and even death. Other Christmas plants such as mistletoe and poinsettias can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Christmas lilies aren't dangerous to dogs, but watch out for other plants such as azaleas and rhododendrons.
Read: "10 houseplants that are toxic to cats"
Tip 5: Wrap presents wisely
Dogs and cats are well known for tearing into presents long before Christmas. This can be not only frustrating for pet owners, but also dangerous for the animals themselves, exposing them to substances and foods that are harmful to them. If your pet is likely to get at the presents, it might be better to put them out on Christmas Eve rather than days or weeks beforehand.
Tip 6: Keep your pet's routine
For our pets, Christmas guests and new schedules can be a big change. Cats naturally love routine and predictability, so if you have guests, set up a safe space away from them where your cat can retreat to. If your dog is used to a daily walk, try to keep up that routine over the festive season. Keeping disruption to your pet's routine to a minimum will help keep them happy and healthy.
Tip 7: Be careful with candles
Lighting candles can feel fun and festive for many people. However, it's important to stay alert around lit candles, to make sure your pet doesn't get burnt, or set the house on fire!
Tip 8: Keep your vet's phone number handy
Your vet may not be working over the Christmas period. Make sure you have your local clinic's phone number and their out-of-hours emergency number to hand. If you do find yourself in that situation, through HAPPY PET NET you can book an instant online consultation with a vet or a scheduled online consultation!
Do you like this kind of content? Check out our Blog section! You can also follow HAPPY PET NET on social media, where we post interesting and fun pet-related content every day!
Follow HAPPY PET NET on Facebook Follow HAPPY PET NET on Instagram
