There are plenty of things that are hazardous to pets around the holiday season that pet owners may not be aware that are dangerous to them. There are many toxic foods and treats that if ingested can lead to a list of issues. Another potential problem is pets eating objects that could cause an intestinal foreign body, blocking the intestinal tract.
Some of the toxic substances are poinsettia plants, chocolate, human food and certain candies/sweets. Poinsettia plants might not seem like much of a hazard since it is not food, but pets that are prone to eating grass may also decide to eat the leaves of a poinsettia plant, causing toxicity. Many pet owners already know that chocolate is toxic to our pets, but chocolates are a very common gift for the holidays, and therefore pets have a higher chance of accidentally getting into them. Not all human foods that are served around the holidays are toxic to pets, but there are some ingredients that are used that are toxic. Anything that contains garlic, nuts, grapes or onions is toxic to dogs and cats. There are some sweets/candies that could include an ingredient called xylitol, and this is extremely toxic to pets. It is used as an artificial sweetener in some products.
Pets eating things that they aren’t supposed to is always a concern when you’re a pet owner, but there are things that are associated with the holidays that pose a seasonal risk as possible intestinal foreign body blockages. This list includes any bones they might ingest, tinsel, ribbon on present or the tree and even pine needles from the Christmas tree itself if you have one.
Very fatty foods pose a particular hazard in that if a small pet ingests too much fat it can cause them to develop pancreatitis. Treatment is usually hospitalizations.
Written by Jordan Christensen
