Keeping your dog safe over the holidays by Dr. Maryam Salt, DVM, CVA

From gifts and decorations to visitors and heaps of yummy food, the holiday season brings fun and frenzy to many of our households. But all of these changes bring potential stresses and dangers to your furry four-legged family members.

Below is a list of some of the possible hazards dogs might be faced with and tips on how to keep them safe during the holiday season.

Hustle and Bustle

Party-goers, family members, trick-or-treaters, and package deliverers coming and going from the home can create commotion and stress for your dog. These disturbances to their normal day to day activities and family structure can be overlooked by well-meaning owners. Remember that they don’t understand what all 

the fuss is about or what is going to happen from minute to minute. Try to maintain their normal schedule with regards to exercising and feeding as much as possible, and perhaps spend a little extra time with them so they don’t feel forgotten.

If your dog is social, allow them to greet visitors as they come in but also provide all pets with a quiet safe place to retreat if they choose. Always remember to have tags on their collar and/ or have your veterinarian place a microchip if they don’t have one, and make sure someone is monitoring the door activity so that Fifi or Fido doesn’t slip through the door.

Also, use special caution when opening gifts and keep paper, Styrofoam, ribbon, string, and small toys out of your dog’s reach as they may be tempted to chew or consume these potential hazards during the frenzy.

Decorations, Ornaments, and Lighting

Some decorations and ornaments can pose harm to your dog, but by taking a few easy precautions you can lessen this risk. Try to keep tree ornaments above the level of your dog’s reach, a vigorous wag of his tail can fling glass ornaments to shatter causing cuts, and dangling adornments may look like fun toys to eat which could cause an intestinal blockage.

Likewise tinsel, ribbon and other shiny stringy decorations should be kept out of your dog’s reach. These can be quite enticing to your dog and can cause blockages or cuts in the intestine if ingested. Hide or cover extra electrical cords and wires and spray them with a bittering agent such asBitter Apple to prevent playful pooches (especially puppies) from chewing on them and suffering an electrical shock or burns. Use caution with lit candles and lights which can cause burns or fires if knocked or damaged. And remember that snow globes sometimes contain anti-freeze which can be lethal if ingested.

Poisonous and Hazardous Plants

The Holidays can bring out new plants that your dog may find interesting and attempt to nibble on. Pine needles can cause mouth and stomach irritation and subsequent vomiting, as can poinsettia and philodendron. Holly can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and depression, while mistletoe can cause possible heart abnormalities.

The ASPCA Poison Control website has an extensive searchable list of plants if you have other plants in your home you wish to research. Some people put aspirin into the Christmas tree water to preserve its longevity. But please avoid this - if your dog drinks aspirin-laced water he can easily receive a toxic dose of the drug and cause gastrointestinal bleeding or kidney damage.

Foods

The Holidays bring many opportunities for human gluttony and indulgences. But remember that these foods are generally too rich or even potentially toxic to your dog. Fatty foods, gravy, onions, garlic, cheese, or even too much meat can be harmful. It is safest to have a “don’t feed the dog” rule placed on your guests and children. If even a handful of people share a morsel or two with Fido these tidbits can add up to a very upset stomach, inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis) or even poisoning.

Bones can splinter, cause an intestinal blockage, or pose a choking hazard.Keep a close eye on the holiday table and remember to secure your garbage (inside and outside) so your dog doesn’t help himself to the mélange of aromas being emitted. And of course most dog owners know that chocolate is a big no-no, causing heart and neurologic abnormalities, but remember to ask gift-givers if their gift contains chocolate or anything else Fido might sniff out from under the tree. Other foods to avoid include grapes, raisins, and nuts.

The Holidays are a fun time, and with some extra care they can be safe and fun for your dog also. If he does get into something you are unsure about or starts to act sick or strange remember to call your veterinarian immediately. Many veterinary offices have limited hours over the holidays so keep the phone number and address of your local emergency hospital handy just in case. The Washington Poison Center also provides a hotline called Vet PETS in case of inadvertent potentially poisonous ingestions (1-800-572-5842); there is a $45 fee for the consult but it can be invaluable information.

Dr. Maryam Salt currently practices at the Queen Anne Animal Clinic. Dr. Salt earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree with honors from Washington State University. She then completed an internship at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. She earned her B.S. in Zoology and Anthropology from the University of Washington. In 2010 Dr. Salt also completed Certification in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture through Colorado State University. Her professional interests include internal medicine, emergency and critical care, geriatric pet care, and pain management.

She also enjoys volunteerism in the veterinary field locally and spent time in the South helping the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Dr. Salt lives in North Seattle with two Basset Hounds (Henry and Cooper), a mixed breed dog (Mugsie), an Old Dog Haven foster dog (Granny Franny) and Ollie the cat. In her free time she enjoys swimming, hiking, camping, jewelry making, photography, and spending time with friends.

Thank you to www.seattledogspot.com!