The holidays are fun for the entire family, including your furry friends. It is wonderful to involve your pets in celebrations, but there are some safety issues to be aware of in your own home and at your pet day care center. The list below offers pet safety tips for common holiday hazards.

5 Ways to Keep Your Pet Safe During the Holidays

1. Be Aware of Hazardous Plants

Common holiday plants like mistletoe, holly, ivy, and poinsettias can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and general intestinal distress for pets. If you choose to decorate with these plants, keep them out of reach. Those with active pets should find fake plants or non-toxic varieties to protect their animals.

2. No People Food

Many people think it’s okay to slip their dog a few table scraps during the holidays, but human food—especially sugary treats and alcohol—can lead to an upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, or even pancreatitis. To avoid issues, do not feed animals anything from the table. Enforce this rule with well-meaning friends and family, who may try to slip them a bit of meat from the table, and make sure your pet day care facility is vigilant about holiday treats as well. 

Be careful when baking, things like chocolate can be toxic to your pets, the artifical ingredient xylitol has caused liver failure in dogs, and yeast dough could cause dangerous bloating and gas as well. 

3. Christmas Tree Hazards

From the sparkly decorations to the dangling wires and branches, the tree is irresistible for playful pets. However, all these items are potentially hazardous. Standing, stagnant water contains bacteria that may make your pet sick, and ornaments may be sharp if chewed on or broken. Presents under the tree—such as chocolates or other food items—can be toxic if ingested. Protect the area with a baby gate or other obstacles your pet can’t climb over.

4. Don’t Use Tinsel

While watching your animal swat at the shiny tinsel may be cute, they may try to chew and eat the long, undigestible strands. The material can block the digestive tract, and eating tinsel can lead to an upset stomach and possibly surgery. 

5. Keep Electrical Items & Batteries Inaccessible

Avoid the possibility of electrocution by keeping pets away from lights, cords, and battery-operated decor. This may mean unplugging decorations before bed and limiting pet access to risky areas. Likewise, keep candles out of paws’ reach.

If your pet needs somewhere to stay during the day to avoid a holiday decor-related incident, contact All Creatures Inn. Based in Nicholasville, KY, their team offers pet day care and boarding for dogs and cats and complete grooming services. They have a caring and compassionate staff who are all animal lovers, too. An on-call vet is available for any issues that arise, and the facility is happy to accommodate pets with special needs with advance notice. Call (859) 233-9000 to make a pet day care reservation, and visit them online to learn more about staff and services.