How to Keep Your Pet Safe Around the Holidays

For many families, the holiday season is one of the most wonderful times of the year. As you gear up for this year’s festivities, it’s important to keep your pet’s safety in mind. If you are planning to travel with your pet or host a party at your home, check out the following sections to learn some tips to ensure your furry companion stays happy and healthy.

Holiday Gatherings Can Be Overwhelming

While the holidays are a great time of the year to spend with family and friends, they can also be very stressful, even for your pet.

• Loud noisemakers and fireworks may cause your animal to feel anxious and scared. A great way to keep your pet calm and comfortable is to set up a quiet room or crate during holiday parties to ensure they have a safe place to go when they need a break.
• For those hosting guests, it’s important to inform visitors that you have a pet.
• Some of them may be allergic to cats and/or dogs.
• If your pet is not confined during the festivities, it’s important for your guests to show extra care when coming and going to ensure your furry friend doesn’t accidentally slip outside.
• You will also want to ensure that your guests know whether or not it’s okay for them to bring their own pets to the party.

Dangerous Decorations

When you’re planning on putting up decorations for the holiday season, think about how your furry companion may react.

• For those with a faux or real tree, securely anchoring it down will ensure it doesn’t tip or fall over.
  
• While you’re decorating the tree, put fragile ornaments at the top and more pet-friendly ones towards the bottom.
  
• Ornaments, sparkly tinsel, gingerbread houses, and popcorn garland may seem harmless, but your pet may think they’re a special toy or treat. If ingested, they can lead to major health issues.
  
• Some other poisonous and problematic holiday decorations include holly, mistletoe, poinsettias, and pine needles.

Skip the Table Scraps

As you’re preparing the holiday meal, laying food out on the table, and mingling with your guests, it’s important to ensure that your pet doesn’t sneak a bite while you’re distracted. You may also want to ask your guests to refrain from feeding your pet table scraps. Some foods that can be problematic include:

• Alcohol
• Bones: Can easily splinter and lead to serious health problems.
• Candy: Chocolate and any sweets including the sweetener Xylitol, are highly toxic to dogs and cats.
• Garlic
• Fruits: Keep any food containing citric acid away from your pet. Cherry pits, peach pits, and apple seeds can cause severe irritation and blockages if ingested.
• Coffee: Grounds, beans, and chocolate-covered expresso beans are toxic to pets.
• Nuts
• Onions
• Milk: Many cats and dogs can have difficulty digesting the lactose in milk, even in small amounts. 

Our Animal Hospital is Here to Keep Your Pet Happy & Healthy this Holiday Season

It’s important to know that even if you do everything to ensure your pet is safe for the holidays, accidents can happen. Luckily, the team at Transit Animal Hospital is always here to help. Our animal clinic is equipped to provide prompt and quality emergency care when your pet needs it most.

If you have any questions about our business hours, feel free to reach out to a member of our team today. We’re proud to help keep pets across Cheektowaga, Clarence, Depew, Lancaster, Orchard Park, West Seneca, Williamsville, NY and the surrounding area safe throughout the holiday season!