UNDATED -
People are already starting to put up holiday decorations, but what's the most wonderful time for them can be the most dangerous time of year for their pets. And that keeps vets like Dr. Rick Hittner busy every Thanksgiving and Christmas.
"Almost everything can be a swallowing danger; glass ornaments, tinsel, wrapping paper especially," he says. "I have an indoor pet, so we usually avoid certain decorations, and she knows not to go near that tree."
Hittner says because of that natural curiosity, people with indoor pets need to keep them away from any decorations they want to put up. Experts say the most effective thing pet owners can do is train their animals to stay away from decorations, but that takes time; time many pet owners may not have with the holidays just around the corner.
Peggy Shockley, one of Hittner's clients that owns an older dog and five cats, says she doesn't even bother putting up a Christmas tree any more.
"I learned my lesson one year," she said. "I put up the tree with a single ball on top, and I left for about thirty minutes, and when I came back the tree was on the ground and the cats were playing with the ball."
People that do want to put up a live tree should find a way to anchor it to a nearby wall or ceiling; it'll keep from not only getting knocked over, but also from spilling tree water, which often contains fertilizer and can upset an animals' stomach.
Vets also say many of the typical decorations this time of year are actually poisonous for your pets, such as poinsettias, holly, and especially chocolate. In fact, local veterinarians say they see more cases of chocolate poisoning during the Christmas holidays than any other time of year, except Valentine's Day. They believe it's because more people are baking, and more people are visiting that may feed your pets something they're not supposed to.
"Be sure to watch for things like vomiting, diarrhea, and a fever in your pet," says Dr. Hittner. "They may be signs that your pet swallowed something that's impacting their digestive system."
And what if you're the one traveling? Petco manager Jennifer Churchill says she always brings something familiar for her dog when she visits family.
"Something like his favorite bone, or a chew toy, a favorite blanket, all those things will keep them calm when you're traveling," said Churchill.
Click here for more tips and recommendations to help keep your pets safe during the holidays by visiting the websites below, and share your own tips here at 5NEWSOnline.com.
"Almost everything can be a swallowing danger; glass ornaments, tinsel, wrapping paper especially," he says. "I have an indoor pet, so we usually avoid certain decorations, and she knows not to go near that tree."
Hittner says because of that natural curiosity, people with indoor pets need to keep them away from any decorations they want to put up. Experts say the most effective thing pet owners can do is train their animals to stay away from decorations, but that takes time; time many pet owners may not have with the holidays just around the corner.
Peggy Shockley, one of Hittner's clients that owns an older dog and five cats, says she doesn't even bother putting up a Christmas tree any more.
"I learned my lesson one year," she said. "I put up the tree with a single ball on top, and I left for about thirty minutes, and when I came back the tree was on the ground and the cats were playing with the ball."
People that do want to put up a live tree should find a way to anchor it to a nearby wall or ceiling; it'll keep from not only getting knocked over, but also from spilling tree water, which often contains fertilizer and can upset an animals' stomach.
Vets also say many of the typical decorations this time of year are actually poisonous for your pets, such as poinsettias, holly, and especially chocolate. In fact, local veterinarians say they see more cases of chocolate poisoning during the Christmas holidays than any other time of year, except Valentine's Day. They believe it's because more people are baking, and more people are visiting that may feed your pets something they're not supposed to.
"Be sure to watch for things like vomiting, diarrhea, and a fever in your pet," says Dr. Hittner. "They may be signs that your pet swallowed something that's impacting their digestive system."
And what if you're the one traveling? Petco manager Jennifer Churchill says she always brings something familiar for her dog when she visits family.
"Something like his favorite bone, or a chew toy, a favorite blanket, all those things will keep them calm when you're traveling," said Churchill.
Click here for more tips and recommendations to help keep your pets safe during the holidays by visiting the websites below, and share your own tips here at 5NEWSOnline.com.
