by Aurora Anne Taylor

Created on: July 30, 2010

Christmas should be a celebratory time of year for the whole family, including your pets.  You may even want to put some presents under the tree for them too!  But the winter holidays can also hold a lot of danger from things you might not think to consider as a threat to your animals.  Here are a few tips to keep your critters safe so you can all enjoy a happy holiday:

Trees

Many pets are injured and killed during the holidays by Christmas trees and their decorations.  Christmas trees, while not poisonous, can pose choking and fire hazards.  Cats love to climb them and can easily knock them over causing lights to catch fire.  Dogs and cats who chew the tree can choke by ingesting pieces of its needles and branches.  At the very least, they can get stuck in the windpipe or digestive tract, causing a great deal of coughing and irritation, resulting in an expensive vet bill! 

Ornaments can break and be chewed, causing choking, cuts or even poisoning.   Tinsel causes many deaths every year to pets who ingest it.  If it doesn't cause an intestinal or stomach blockage and comes out the other end, many owners will try and pull it out, resulting in a collapsed intestine which can lead to costly surgery or death.  Even the water put into the tree stand can be harmful if a chemical is added to keep it fresh.

The best way to avoid these hazards is to keep them out of reach.  Fasten your tree top to the ceiling so it can't be tipped.  Don't use chemicals in your tree water.  Forget the tinsel, pretty as it is.  If you do use it and you see it coming out of your pet, just clip it as it comes out and let nature take its course.  Never pull on it.  Make sure your ornaments are non toxic and unbreakable.  Don't allow birds to fly free during the holidays as they can chew on lights, ornaments and plants.

Decorative plants

Christmas plants such Holly put on wreaths and used as Mistletoe can poison your pet.  The ever popular Poinsettia  is also toxic. Keep them out of reach of dogs, cats, birds and small animals.  If you can't keep your pets away, don't use them.  Choose non toxic or synthetic plants instead.

Holiday foods

Let's face it, many holiday foods are rich and laden with fat and calories.  While pet owners can usually repent of their culinary sins after the holidays by hitting the gym and abstaining for a while, pets are not designed to handle such

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