The holiday season has just begun, and as many of us begin to decorate our homes and cook family meals, there are many dangers from which you need to protect your pet.  You should never feed your pet human food.  Many foods that we eat cause problems in our animals.  Chocolate and candy are popular presents and may be left accessible to both people and pets around the house.  Make sure your pet cannot get into these because chocolate can cause toxicity when eaten, and candy is likely to cause vomiting and diarrhea.  Roasted turkey, ham, and other popular meal choices, especially those with a high fat content, can trigger very serious episodes of pancreatitis and vomiting.  Also, if bones of any kind are eaten, they can cause obstructions of the stomach and intestines, or even worse, punctures of the gastrointestinal tract leading to peritonitis.

Decorations used during the holidays can also be dangerous to your pet.  Many plants such as mistletoe, lilies, and poinsettias are toxic, so be sure to keep them out of reach of your pets.  Ensure that the leaves and berries do not fall where your animal can eat them.  Electric lights and displays have wires that pets can chew and become electrocuted.  Tinsel and other string-like decorations are commonly eaten by pets and lead to intestinal obstructions, especially in cats.  And of course, you need to make sure your pet is not exposed to the unsafe conditions outside, such as extreme cold, ice, snow, and salt.  If you have any questions about keeping your pet safe, please feel free to contact us.