Holiday Hazards for your four-legged friend ~ By, Karen Boucher of Canyon Hawk Dog Training

Electrical cords:
Keep all electrical cords securely taped down or out of reach of your pet. Dogs and cats may chew dangling wires and be burned or electrocuted.

Ornaments:
Hang ornaments out of reach of your pet. Dogs, especially, may eat the ornaments or wire hangers, which can get caught in the stomach and intestines.

Chocolate:
Keep all holiday food away from your pet. Chocolate contains ingredients (eg: caffeine) that can be lethal to dogs and cats.


Tinsel, ribbon, string:
Make sure these are kept out of reach and properly disposed of. If swallowed , any of these can require emergency surgery to remove. Tinsel also has sharp edges that can cut the mouth.

Lilies, flowers and houseplants:
Prevent your pet from eating plants or flower arrangements. Lilies are very poisonous to cats.

Christmas Tree:
Put the tree in a pet-safe room or monitor your pet when he or she is around the tree. Dogs and cats may eat needles (even from artificial tress) or drink the water at the base of the tree, which can be toxic (especially if it contains preservatives.)

In many cases, if your pet has eaten or drunk something toxic, warning signs will include gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhea. Or signs may include tiredness and lack of appetite, especially in cats that have eaten lilies.