How To Keep Your Pet Safe During The Holidays!
The holidays are a time to celebrate with the ones you love most. Our pets are a part of our family, so we want them at our side throughout all the holiday fun.
Though our pets can celebrate right along with us, there are a few holiday safety precautions that we should always take. This time of year is filled with magic and cheer, but there are quite a few dangers that can cause our little ones harm.
Our team at Vetted wants to help you keep your pet safe throughout your holiday celebrations, so let’s break down some of the most common dangers that our pets encounter this time of year!
If you have any specific pet safety questions about your holiday plans, you can always download the Vetted app or email our team directly at love@getvetted.io
Make Sure Your Decorations Are Pet-Friendly
Decorating your home to celebrate your holiday of choice is one of the best parts of the holiday season. Though these decorations are beautiful, they do come with some potential danger for our beloved pets. Our pets don’t understand how to stay safe around holiday decorations, so it’s up to us to make these decorations as pet-friendly as possible.
Some of the most effective ways to keep your pets safe around holiday decorations include:
- Securely anchoring your Christmas tree to the ground, as it is not uncommon for pets to knock over trees and injure themselves
- Don’t leave any candles unattended, as our pets can either knock them over accidently or burn themselves
- Prevent any lights from hanging near the ground, as some pets will chew on cords and seriously injure their mouths
- Be sure that any decorations with batteries are kept away from your pet, as batteries are incredibly toxic and can cause severe damage to their digestive tract if swallowed
- Make sure your pet is not chewing on any tinsel decorations, as tinsel is known to irritate the intestines and even cause dangerous blockages
By following the guidelines above, you can have a decorated home that is free of any danger for your little ones!
Be Sure To Avoid Any Holiday Food Mishaps
Many of the pet emergencies seen around the holidays are related to food mishaps. Pets are known for stealing food off unattended plates or digging yummy scraps out from the trash, leading to uncomfortable digestive symptoms soon after.
In addition to GI upset from eating food outside of their standard diet, there is also a risk of eating human food that is toxic to pets. Many of the most common holiday treats contain ingredients that are not safe for our little ones, making it even more essential to keep them as far away from your pet as possible.
Though we should try our best to keep all human foods away from our pets over the holidays, there are some common ingredients that we should make sure our pets never get their paws on. Some of these ingredients that are toxic to pets include:
- Onion
- Chives
- Garlic
- Chocolate
- Fruit pits
- Citrus
- Bones
- Grapes and raisins
- Coffee
- Raw eggs or meat
- Nuts
If your little one accidentally eats any of the ingredients we listed above, we suggest reaching out to your local vet or emergency vet for guidance. If you are a Vetted member, we will cover your emergency exam fee at any Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) hospital! It’s just one of our many perks that help you offer the best care to your little one.
We also suggest keeping a close eye on your pet if they consumed any non-toxic human food over the holidays, as eating food outside of their normal diet can lead to an upset stomach. If your pet has developed an upset stomach due to eating strange food over the holidays, feel free to reach out to our Vet Pros on the Vetted app for guidance on how to care for them from home.
Keep Dangerous Seasonal Plants Away From Your Pet
Holiday season brings with it an array of beautiful seasonal plants. While these plants may offer that special holiday touch to our home, they can pose a serious risk to our pets. Some holiday plants can cause health complications ranging from diarrhea to severe illness, so you will want to make sure these plants are in areas your pet cannot access.
Some of the toxic seasonal plants that you will want to keep away from your pets this holiday season include:
- Mistletoe
- Poinsettias
- Christmas rose
- Holly berries
- Amaryllis
If you think your pet chewed on or consumed any of the plants we listed above, we suggest reaching out to your local vet or ER vet as soon as possible. Also remember that as we mentioned above, all Vetted members will get a waived exam fee at any Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) hospital throughout the country!
Final Thoughts
Our team at Vetted wants your little one to be at your side throughout each of your holiday celebrations, and following our safety tips above can help you do just that! We are dedicated to empowering pet parents through education, and making sure you have the tools needed to keep your pet as healthy as possible.
If you have any other holiday concerns about your pet, you can always download the Vetted app or email our team directly at love@getvetted.io
