Trimming your tree safely
Compiled by Times staffPublished December 14, 2006
Tree trimmings, lights and candles might be the perfect touch for a home this season, but ornaments, tinsel and other holiday items can be a deadly combination for the family pet.
Emergency veterinarians at Brandon Veterinary Specialists & Cancer Treatment Center say families can avoid emergency room visits by keeping a simple thought in mind: keep animals separated from dangerous items in the home.
Problems that pet parents should watch out for include:
Electrocution - prevalent in young animals such as puppies or kittens that are more apt to explore objects by mouthing or chewing objects such as electrical cords and tree lights.
Ornament ingestion - "Remember the tree ornaments look like regular toys to dogs, so pets will want to bite into them when they aren't meant to be eaten. Consider putting the ornaments above your pet's nose level," according to Dr. Sonja Olson, Emergency Medicine Clinician at Brandon Veterinary Specialists.
Chocolate - It's always best to keep a pet away from chocolate. While it takes a large amount of milk chocolate to make an animal sick, "dark chocolate is 10 times more poisonous," Olson said. "The worst is baking chocolate. All species of pets are at risk from chocolate."
Plant ingestion - While many holiday plants are not fatally poisonous to animals, poinsettias and holly can cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting and diarrhea. In cats, ingestion of lilies can cause kidney failure. "Keep all holiday plants out of reach of pets," Olsen says. "Also, with live Christmas trees, cover the water as this could also be toxic if ingested."
Bread Dough/Yeast - Dogs may sneak some bread dough meant for holiday treats. In the process of rising, the dough expands in the stomach and the yeast produces ethanol. This can lead to severe problems including alcohol poisoning, stomach distension and potential torsion.
Tinsel - "Consider not including tinsel on a tree with cats in the household," Olson said. "Tinsel is a strong fiber, which can bunch in a cat's intestines, creating a potential surgical emergency. If the intestines bunch, the tinsel will cut through the tissue."
High fat meals and poultry bones - Just one high fat meal passed from the dinner table can lead to pancreatitis, a potentially fatal condition. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, vomiting and decreased appetite. Poultry bones can become lodged in the throat or digestive tract and can cause obstruction or death.
Find out more at: www.brandonveterinaryspecialists.com.