OTHER FESTIVE HAZARDS

With lots of new and exciting things around the house, Christmas can be both an exciting and confusing time for our dogs. With interesting decorations around the home, a tree full of lights and colour, lots of new exciting smells and an array of new presents for the family, it is easy for your pet to get carried away and be overwhelmed by their natural instincts to explore.

PLANTS

Over the Christmas period, as well as tinsel and baubles, many of us decorate our homes with an abundance of festive greenery. We hang wreaths of ivy on our doors, place brightly coloured poinsettia on our windowsills, dangle mistletoe in doorways and bring trees into our homes to adorn with ornaments; but did you know that some of these seasonal plants can make your pet ill.

POINSETTIA

Poinsettia has a reputation for being highly toxic, but the stories of how poisonous it is are often exaggerated. Although Poinsettia is a type of euphorbia (a family of plants known to be poisonous), the effects of this particular plant are usually only mild. Its milky white sap is an irritant that can cause pets to dribble, be sick or sometimes have diarrhoea. Although these effects are usually only mild, it is still best to keep these colourful festive plant out of paws reach.

HOLLY

The spiky leaves of this plant will usually prevent your dog from eating a significant amount, but even if it did, it is unusual for holly to cause any major toxic effects. All parts of the holly bush do contain a poisonous chemical, but it usually only causes irritation in the mouth, vomiting or diarrhoea. The spikes from the leaves could cause some nasty scratches and pricks, so it is best to keep this plant away from your pet.

MISTLETOE

Although certain parts of this plant do contain toxins, this festive shrub is generally considered to be of low toxicity. Most animals that eat parts of mistletoe do not show any signs, but others might develop drooling, a tummy ache, be sick or have diarrhoea. A few rare cases have shown signs of being wobbly on their feet, tremors or fits. Although most pets are usually at low risk of poisoning its best to keep mistletoe away from them.

IVY

Often found amongst other plants on Christmas wreaths or may even be used in displays around the house. If eaten, Ivy can cause a tummy upset, while contact with the skin can cause severe irritation or allergic contact dermatitis.

POTPOURRI

This is made up of dried plants and flowers amongst other things. These fragrant decorations may cause, at the very least, vomiting and diarrhoea. How toxic your potpourri is will depend on which dried plants have been used, which is something often difficult to identify, especially as the dried plants are often artificially coloured. Potpourri usually includes harder items, like pine cones or bark, and these could get stuck in your pet’s throat, cause breathing difficulties or cause a blockage in their gut. Signs of an obstruction may include being sick, being tired, off their food, not pooing or finding it difficult to do so.

CHRISTMAS TREES

Most species of Christmas tree are of low toxicity, but oils from the needles may be irritating to the mouth and stomach, causing excessive dribbling, vomiting and diarrhoea if chewed.

OTHER HAZARDS

Some Christmas decorations and presents can be harmful to your pet. During the Christmas period watch out for:

Christmas tree decorations (tinsel, baubles, electric lights and salt dough ornaments)

These are usually made of plastic, paper or foil and are usually low toxicity. If eaten however, these may get stuck in the throat or the stomach and can cause an obstruction and may need surgery to remove. Homemade salt dough decorations can be a special addition to your Christmas tree, but these decorations can be toxic to pets. They can cause vomiting and excessive thirst, or in more severe cases, affect their kidneys and cause fits.

As well as there being a risk from any sharp broken bulbs or lights and an obstruction risk from the plastic cable, there is also a risk that if your pet bites into your Christmas lights they could be electrocuted too. If you have lights on your Christmas tree, remember to place them out of reach of your pet and try to keep as much of the cable tucked away or hidden.

PET PROOFING A CHRISTMAS TREE

1. Choose your tree carefully. Artificial trees will not drop needles and so may be less harmful
2. Put your tree up for a few days before decorating it. This can help your pet get used to it before you add the lights and baubles
3. Use a strong stand, or tether the tree to the wall or ceiling to prevent it being knocked over
4. Get a decorative tree base cover to prevent your pet drinking the water used to prolong the life of your tree
5. Put a pet gate or tree guard around the tree to prevent your dog getting to it
6. Keep the bottom branches bare. Dangerous lights, tinsel and baubles should all be placed high up where your pets cannot reach them
7. Tape electric cables down from the lights to prevent them being chewed
8. Do not hang chocolate coins, sweets, popcorn or salt-dough decorations on your tree
9. Only place presents under the tree on Christmas Eve night, this should discourage your dog from ‘opening’ presents

BATTERIES, SILICA GEL AND WRAPPING PAPER

If a battery is chewed and punctured by your dog it can cause chemical burns, or even heavy metal poisoning in very extreme cases. If swallowed whole, they are less likely to leak their contents, but can still cause a blockage. This can be very dangerous and may require surgical intervention. Signs of an obstruction may include vomiting, lethargy, being off their food, not defecating or finding it difficult to defecate.

Eating wrapping paper or crepe paper may result in staining in and around the pet’s mouth, which may look worrying, but both substances are of low toxicity and so unlikely to be poisonous. Eating a large amount, however, may cause a potentially dangerous blockage in the gut.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PET EATS ANY OF THE ABOVE HAZARDS

It is easier for a vet to care for a poisoned pet if it is treated sooner rather than later. If you are in any doubt, do not wait for your pet to become unwell before calling for advice.

In an emergency you can help your veterinary practice make an informed decision as to whether your dog needs to be treated by them and, if so, what the best treatment would be. Where possible you should provide your veterinary practice with information on:

• What you think your pet has eaten and how much
• When your pet was exposed (i.e. 5 minutes, 5 hours or 5 days ago)
• If your pet has been unwell and, if so, what clinical signs have been seen

If you do need to take your pet to your veterinary practice, make sure that you take along a sample of the offending items- wrapping paper, plant etc.

Whilst there may seem a huge array of items to keep your pet away from this Christmas, a few simple steps can help ensure risks are minimised. Ensuring all the family are aware of the hazards is essential, so everyone can work together to make it a great festive season for all.

Postdate: 16th December 2020