Pet Owners Warned of Holiday Hazards

Chocolate, tinsel and Christmas lights--all holiday favorites--can turn a time of joy into a nightmare for you and your pet.

It’s at this time of the year veterinarians and emergency animal hospitals see an increase in emergencies for seizures, intestinal blockages or electrical shock.

“People have to remember that cats and dogs are curious of objects that appear at home suddenly,” said Sue Walshe of the Animal Rescue Foundation of Dana Point Inc. “The holidays can be a dangerous time for pets if you don’t take care of things.”

Veterinarians suggest pet owners safeguard their homes just as they would for toddlers. Keep ornaments, electrical cords and other potential hazards out of reach.

Leftovers also can be dangerous, especially a turkey carcass stuffed in the garbage can where a dog can reach it, said veterinarian Karla Nichols at the Grand Pet Care Centers in Santa Ana. Bones can split and chip, lodging in the animal’s throat, stomach or intestinal tract.

Another common mistake is leaving chocolate and candy where it is accessible to pets.

“Don’t give Fido chocolate or food off the plate,” Nichols said. “It’s harmful to them.”

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Happy Holidays--for Your Pets

To keep pets healthy and happy during the holidays, keep them from these items:

Table scraps: Smaller bones and bone chips can lodge in throats, stomachs and intestinal tracts. Turkey contains enzymes that might be harmful. Fats and poultry skin can cause gastrointestinal problems.

Chocolate/candies: Too much chocolate can be fatal, depending on a dog’s size. Theobromine, a caffeine-like substance found in chocolate and candies, is a poison to dogs.

Holiday plants: Holly berries and mistletoe can be fatal; poinsettias can cause an upset stomach.

Electrical cords: Keep cords secured and out of the way to avoid being chewed.

Ornaments: Keep tinsel from cats and put breakable ornaments high on trees so they are out of reach.

Christmas trees: Make sure the tree is well secured. Preservatives in water at the base of the tree can cause intestinal problems for pets. Place a mesh around the base.

Pine needles: Clear needles frequently from around the tree and decorative boughs. Needles can puncture a pet’s intestines.

Sources: Animal Rescue Foundation of Dana Point Inc., veterinarians; Researched by JULIO V. CANO / For The Times