Holiday Toxins to Pets

Untitled design‘Tis the season to be jolly but also the season for potentially dangerous toxins for your pet! Follow these tips to keep your pets healthy and safe, and keep the holidays stress free for you.

My pet loves to play with the Christmas decorations. Is this safe?

While it is hard to resist the temptation of sparkling lights and glittering tinsel, these items can be very hazardous to pets. If your pet ingests tinsel, it can become lodged in the intestinal tract and cause a linear foreign body to develop.  Correction for this includes costly surgery and, in severe cases, serious complications can arise.

Many animals enjoy chewing on electrical cords from tree lights, or biting the lights themselves.  This can result in electrical burns to the mouth and tongue and other complications from electrocution.  Your homemade ornaments can also pose a risk. Homemade ornament dough is high in salt, which may cause electrolyte abnormalities and seizures. Hang these decorations high on the tree or pets may think they’re meant for them!

What foods are most problematic to my pet this time of year?

With the holiday season comes a delightful variety of baked goods, chocolate confections and other rich, fattening foods. However, it’s not wise, and in some cases, quite dangerous, to share these treats with your pets. Foods that can present problems include:

  • Foods containing grapes, raisins, and currants(such as fruit cakes, breads, and cookies) can result in kidney failure in dogs.
  • Chocolate and cocoacontain theobromine, a chemical similar to caffeine and highly toxic to dogs and cats. Ingestion in small amounts can cause vomiting and diarrhea, but large amounts can cause seizures and heart arrhythmias.
  • Many sugarless gums and candiescontain xylitol, a natural sweetener which is toxic to dogs. It causes a life-threatening drop in blood sugar and liver failure.
  • Leftover fatty, meat scraps can produce severe inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), leading to abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea.

Are poinsettias as toxic to pets as many people think?

While poinsettias may cause gastrointestinal upset, such as vomiting and diarrhea, no significant toxicity is typically seen.  Dogs and cats may have a lack of appetite or stomach upset for 1-2 days after eating the leaves of a poinsettia, but fortunately, this often resolves without any medical intervention. However, if your pet is not feeling well for more than 1-2 days, it’s recommended that you bring them to your veterinarian.

Untitled design (1)Are there other holiday plants that may be harmful to pets?

Many holiday arrangements contain lilies, holly, or mistletoe.  Bouquets brought into the house by holiday guests should be thoroughly inspected, as lilies are one of the most common flowers used by florists. Just one or two bites from a lily can result in severe acute kidney failure in cats – even the pollen and the water that the plant is in are thought to be poisonous.

Holly berries and mistletoe can also be toxic to pets. When Christmas or English holly is ingested, it can result in severe gastrointestinal upset, thanks to the spiny leaves and potentially toxic substances found in the plant. If ingested, most pets smack their lips, drool, and head shake excessively due to injury from the spiny leaves.

As for mistletoe, most of us hang it high enough that it’s out of reach of our pets. Nevertheless, it can also be toxic if ingested. Thankfully, American mistletoe is less toxic than the European varieties. Mild signs of gastrointestinal irritation may be seen, although if ingested in large amounts, collapse, hypotension (low blood pressure), ataxia (difficulty walking), seizures, and even death have also been reported.

What are the dangers of potpourri to pets?

If you typically heat your scented oils in a simmer pot, know that they can cause serious harm to your cat. Even a few licks can result in severe chemical burns in the mouth, fever, difficulty breathing, and tremors. Dogs aren’t as sensitive, but it’s still better to be safe than sorry, so scent your home with a non-toxic candle kept safely out of kitty’s reach.
Dry potpourri may also cause chemical burns in the mouth, potential foreign bodies, and gastrointestinal upset, depending on the size of animal and amount ingested.  While candles are often scented with oils, the largest concern with ingestion is a foreign body and potential obstruction.  In addition to an upset stomach, surgical removal of the candle may be necessary in severe cases.

  

About Pet Poison Helpline

Pet Poison Helpline, an animal poison control center based out of Minneapolis, MN, is available 24 hours, seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary professionals that require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. The staff provides treatment advice for poisoning cases of all species, including dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, large animals and exotic species. As the most cost-effective option for animal poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline’s fee of $39 (USD) per incident includes follow-up consultation for the duration of the poison case. Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.

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