Winter Seasonal Tips

Christmas and Hanukkah bring holiday goodies and lots of decorations.  Christmas tree decorations can be very attractive to animals.  Angel hair can cause irritation of the eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract.  Tinsel if ingested, can cause intestinal obstruction and choking.  Glass ornaments can shatter in an animal’s mouth. 

Supervise the use of candles at all times.  Pets are curious about the bright light and can receive serious burns or knock the candle over, causing a fire.  Cover or tack down electrical cords and be mindful of strings of lights, which can be chewed on or become wrapped around and strangle an unsupervised pet.

Increased activity and visitors during the winter season can upset your pet’s routine. Try to keep your pet on his/her regular schedule for feeding and exercise.

The winter holidays also bring lots of toxic plants into the house!

Some examples are:

• Ivy – moderate to very toxic
• Mistletoe – very toxic (especially the berries)
• Christmas greens (balsam, juniper, cedar, pine and fir – low toxicity
• Hibiscus- may cause vomiting or bloody diarrhea if ingested
• Poinsettias

This is not a conclusive list…It’s very wise to keep plants out of your pets’ reach.

January rings in the New Years celebrations.  Be alert to noise-makers, and confetti.  They can frighten your pet and cause serious havoc on the digestive tract.  Fireworks also can scare your pet enough to run out the door or jump out a window in panic.

Make sure your pets living area is well winterized.  Have fresh water available at all times and watch that outdoor watering holes aren’t frozen.  A dog’s metabolism speeds up in the cold to help maintain warmth.  Adjust your pet’s daily diet to accommodate the changing needs of the winter months however, don’t go overboard resulting in overweight.  Animals can suffer from hypothermia.  Make sure pets have a warm dry, well insulated shelter facing away from the direction of the wind and rain.  Bring your pet inside when freezing temperatures are present.