Decorate with pet safety in mind

  • Published
  • By Beth Simmons
  • 31st Services Squadron Certified Veterinary Technician
Aviano Air Base, Italy --  Pets are naturally curious and are driven to explore. During the holiday season, this can mean big trouble. Pet owners need to take certain measures to protect animals from substances and materials that can be harmful to them.

Decorations - Don't allow pets to drink water from under the Christmas tree. Some solutions used to make trees stay fresh longer can cause stomach problems and mouth irritation. Evergreens can also be toxic to pets. Don't allow pets to chew on live or plastic trees. Both can cause trouble.

Christmas decorations - For whatever reason, cats and dogs may be tempted to eat Christmas ornaments and even light bulbs from the tree. Other pets may enjoy chewing on electrical wires. Monitor pets carefully around decorations.

Mistletoe - Mistletoe berries are poisonous to pets.
Tinsel - Pet owners should be discouraged from using tinsel on their tree. Ingestion of tinsel can cause severe problems, especially in cats. This may require surgical removal of the tinsel to prevent the cat from dying.
Yarn or string - Don't allow pets to chew on or play with these items. Like tinsel, swallowing these items can lead to perforation of the intestinal tract and death.

If you suspect your pet has ingested any of these items, seek medical attention immediately. Quick intervention is essential.

For a complete list of poisonous and troublesome items in the household, call the Aviano veterinaryclinic at Ext. 8485 or conduct research from professional sources.
(This article is not to be used in lieu of professional veterinary care.)