Articles | Umbrella Pets - Part 2

We cannot celebrate Christmas without some form of a Christmas Tree.  Whether it is a large, live tree or a small plastic one, or something in between, we need to have a tree to put presents under and to have a focal point on Christmas morning.  But either tree can be hazardous to our pets if precautions are taken.

So whether fake or live, we need to make sure that we securely anchor our Christmas trees so they do not tip and fall on top of curious pets.   With live trees, we have to make sure our pets cannot drink the stagnant tree water which contains a lot of bacteria and may contain fertilizer.  Both which can cause diarrhea and nausea.

Keep weighty ornaments close to the floor so if they do fall, they won’t break … it wouldn’t hurt to train your pets to stay away from them as well.  Keep lighter ornaments high up on the tree so curious pups cannot access them and place the tree away from high ledges and mantles where cats (and sometimes dogs) can jump from.  Watch for fallen broken ornaments which can cut or scratch paw pads and noses. If any broken pieces are ingested, the pieces can damage the esophagus and stomach and cause a blockage which could result in surgery.

Pets have also been known to open presents before the festivities as well, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.

According to a 2010 study conducted by Churchill Pet Insurance, Dogmagazine.net reported that 79% of dog owners prefer fake trees to avoid potential dangers for their dogs and cats.  And almost half of those that preferred live trees, admitted that their dogs had been injured by pine needles at least once.  This injury typically was that a pine needle got stuck in their pet’s paw.

Training your dog to stay away from the tree, presents, ornaments and décor is a very good idea.  This training can easily transfer to other items in the home that you would prefer your pet not to touch.  Come back to this blog for more information on training your pets.  You could also contact a local trainer for more immediate assistance.

When decorating our homes with the splendor of the holidays, keep in mind what your pets will see everything as a new toy and will they want to play with everything.

Cats love the shininess of tinsel and love to play with shiny, soft things.  Tinsel is dangerous though for cats….and dogs because if ingested, they can cause digestive issues and blockages, vomiting, dehydration and possibly surgery.  So if you have cats in the house, it may be better to leave the tinsel at the store. 

Some decorative holiday plants can be very tempting but are toxic if a pet eats them.  Hang Mistletoe and place holly and ivy plants out of the reach of your pets or use the silk or plastic varieties.

Never leave candles burning unattended. The flames and shadows thrown by candles are very tantalizing to pets so make sure lit candles are always kept a safe distance from them. Keep candles in unreachable places or keep the candles where you can watch them so our pets don’t bump into and accidentally burn themselves or your stuff. 

Keep weighty ornaments close to the floor so if they fall, they won’t break but train your pets not to touch them.  Keep valuable ornaments and family heirlooms out of reach from those curious mouths, noses and wagging tails. Also keep knick-knacks on shelves inaccessible to animals.

Keep all wires out of reach and tied together to prevent electrical shock and burns if your pets bite them.  Keep ornaments and fragile decorations out of the reach of our pets so they cannot fall and break into dangerous shards that could cut or scratch curious paws and noses. 

If your pet does ingest something that you fear may be poisonous, contact the Poison Control Center immediately.  More info on this center can be found on the ASPCA Poison Control website page.  Check this page out before there is an emergency so you are aware of what to do if there ever is one.

We start the season by decorating our homes with the creepy, crawly and sometimes noisy props for Halloween, than the fall themes for Thanksgiving, than the shiny, sparkly, singing items for Christmas and Hanukkah, than we use noisy poppers and fireworks to celebrate the new year, than out comes the flowers, chocolates and hearts for Valentine’s Day, and lastly the green beer, clovers and Irish food for Saint Patrick’s Day.  All of these holidays can be dangerous for our pets if are not cautious and prepared.   

Halloween is fun for people…we get to dress up and become someone else, feast on sweet things and have some good, scary fun with our friends and family.  We may have a blast on Halloween, it is not so much a blast for our pets.  We make them put funny yet sometimes constricting costumes on, we have tons of candy around that they cannot have, we decorate with scary, moving gadgets that freak them out, plus all those other people that are walking around in weird, creepy costumes.  If we look at Halloween from our pet’s perspective, I bet we wouldn’t like it either. 

But there are ways both you and your pets can have a fun, safe and not so scary Halloween.  

Take your pets for a long walk prior to the festivities to tire them out but be sure to wrap up the walk before the trick-or-treaters come out.   Set up a quiet area that they feel safe in, where they can escape to if needed.   Sometimes black cats fall victim of pranks and mischief and can easily be frightened out of their normal territory by the unfamiliar site of strange people in costumes and the commotion of the holiday so it is best to secure cats in another room.  

Pets may be spooked by people wearing costumes, and may try to run away or may become aggressive. Training and desensitization prior to the day would help but in any case, make sure the pet has an ID collar on, so if they do make a mad dash out the door, they have their ID.  Make sure the ID tag is up-to-date for many animals that aren’t wearing an ID tag end up in shelters when they became separated from their families. According to the Humane Society, only about 2% of cats and 15% of dogs that come into shelters as strays are returned to their families. Strays found with proper ID are quickly returned to their families.

When it comes to dressing your pet up in a Halloween costume, if your pet puts up a fight, then it may be best not to put the costume on.  Forcing the issue will stress your pet out and he could potentially nip at someone or something.  If you are able to dress him up, make sure the costume isn’t annoying, unsafe or block his vision. It should not constrict the animal’s movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. It’s a good idea to try the costume on prior to the big night to make sure everything fits well and to see if your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior.   Also, look for small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that they could possibly choke on.

The bowl of candy is for the trick-or-treaters and not for your pets.  Be sure to keep the tempting bowl out of their reach.  Chocolate (contains theobromine) and artificially sweetened candies (contains xylitol) are dangerous if ingested.  If they do eat some of this, call your vet or the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.

With the upcoming holiday season and the beginning of a stressful time for most of us, I figured we all could use some helpful tips and tricks to make it through the season safely and with our sanity. Starting in October, there is a holiday at least once a month though April including Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas or Hanukkah, New Years, Valentine’s Day, Saint Patrick’s Day, and Easter. These holidays are a great time to come together with friends and family for great fun, yummy food and delicious drinks. Although the holidays are fun, they can be very stressful as well for we plan parties and holiday dinners at our homes, or we travel to others homes for the festivities, or we help those that are traveling to us, we shop for decorations, food, drinks, presents and everything else we need. All this can be very overwhelming and stressful for us, just imagine the stress your pets feel!

So over the next few weeks, I will post different tips and tricks that can be used to have a fun, safe and festive holiday season!