10 Winter Holiday Hazards for Dogs

The holidays are the time to be loving, to have fun, to enjoy, but most importantly to be safe. Both you and your pet deserve to enjoy these holidays as much as possible! This is why pet safety is so important. There are many things to beware during the holidays, but here are some things to beware, and how to prevent any disasters with them!

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1. Wiry mess

Wires are one of the most common things to see during the holidays. A good example is the lights that go around Christmas trees, and they are extremely dangerous for your dogs! Before you put them on your tree, be sure your pet doesn’t play with them, given that there is a high risk of them getting tangled up in the material, and even getting choked by it. Connected wires are a risk of entanglement as well, but also of electrocution. You can prevent any of this from happening by taping the connected wires to the ground or wall, and when they are not connected yet, placing them somewhere they cannot reach them.

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2. Falling tree

Our dogs love to wag their tails, and many dogs love getting under things or behind things, in spaces too small for them. This could cause a terrible accident if it is with the Christmas tree. A tail wagged too hard against the tree, or an accidental body pushes from your pet and soon the tree could fall on them, on you or on something that can break, also causing any glass ornaments to be crushed! This can hurt not only whoever it falls on, but if there is broken glass, you also need to beware it. Nailing down your tree is a good solution, this way, you make sure that no amount of tail wagging will knock it down.

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3. Sweet Christmas

Everyone loves a good Christmas cookie, especially dogs! Although we always beware where we put our food during normal days, the holidays tend to be a bit more agitated, and therefore we might easily get distracted and accidentally leave the cookies on a table within their reach. Another food that is usually used to built cookie houses (which are very common during Christmas) is marshmallows! As pet owners know, cookies can be harmful to dogs, so be sure to stay alert during this wonderful time and always leave the delicious cookies far from their reach! 

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4. Doughn’t eat

During the holidays there is always a lot of cooking to be done, whether it is that you are hosting a dinner and cooking the food, or baking some cookies to give to your neighbor, or some brownies to share with your family. However, this adds the risk of raw dough for your dog. Raw dough is harmful to humans, but even more so to dogs! When cooking, pay attention to where you leave the raw dough. Make sure it is always out of their reach, and that if you drop a piece, you can pick it up before your dog gets to it.

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5. Seasonal plants

Dogs may love eating grass, or other garden plants you have, but plants such as mistletoe and holly are extremely dangerous to them. Since their system is not built to consume mistletoe, it can cause serious gastrointestinal problems, and sometimes even cardiovascular problems. This is why it is best to keep your dog away from mistletoe and holly. Leaving the plants on places they can’t reach is ideal. Given that many times mistletoe is hung, stay alert to the whereabouts of your dog and check regularly that the mistletoe has not fallen.

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6. Decorate safely

Ornaments can also be dangerous to your pet. Given that many ornaments look like balls, or just generally appealing to a dog, they might attempt to chew or play with it. This can lead to choking if a piece of the ornament gets stuck in their throat, or if the ornament is sharp it can injure them. Beware even more of glass ornaments, given that if they accidentally drop or break them, they might also get hurt. Try to keep your dog away from the ornaments, whether by keeping the ornaments out of reach (such as decorating the tree from where your pet will pay no mind to the ornaments and up), or teaching your dog to stay away from them. You can even put a dog proof fence around the tree!

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7. Bad medicine

The cold weather, the dusty decorations, the holidays are full of things that can make us sick. You may have the flu, or allergies, which means that you’ll be taking medicine for it. After all, no one likes being sick during Christmas. Having said that, the medicine that makes you better can make your dog sick. This is why keeping your medicine with you, and out of reach from your pet, is the best idea. This way, your dog won’t accidentally swallow your pills and need an emergency trip to the hospital during Christmas Eve!

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8. Special drinks

Even if you don’t drink alcohol, odds are someone who will come to your house will. Even if it is only a glass of champagne or wine to celebrate New Year’s, you have to always be sure your dog doesn’t get any. Alcohol is extremely dangerous to them and can cause many issues in their system, no matter how little they consume. Keep alcoholic beverages out of reach from them, and clean up immediately if some of it spills on the ground, not allowing your pet to drink it.

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9. Noisy ‘till midnight

Fireworks are beautiful, that is true. But for your pets, it is just a lot of noise that hurts their ears. The noises that go around during Christmas and New Years, such as people screaming, loud music, fireworks, etc., scare your pet! Be sure to keep them by your side and silence as much from the noise as possible for them by closing the door, the windows and playing some calm tunes for them. Being by your side, however, is what will help calm them down the most.

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10. Safe space

The holidays are not only extremely agitated for you, but also for your pet. Especially if your house is the go-to house, which means there will be a lot of people and noise, and your dog might get overwhelmed. Be sure you prepare a space for them to relax and go rest. A quiet room that has food, water, and their bed should suffice. This way, if they are feeling overwhelmed, they can go drink some water and rest in a quiet and safe space.

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Although there are many things to beware during the holidays, all of them can be easily taken care of to prevent any accidents. The most important thing is to enjoy and have fun, making sure your pet does too! And of course, always be safe. You can check out more information here!

Sources

• https://www.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/emergency/winter-holiday-pet-hazards
• http://www.vspn.org/Library/Misc/VSPN_M01660.htm
• https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=6048033
• https://www.rauanimalhospital.com/resources/blog/cats-dogs/seasonal-safety-5-hazards-your-pet-during-winter-holiday
• http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/at-home-pet-dangers-to-beware-over-the-winter-holidays?page=2

Cover picture from bosleys.com