Holiday Pet Safety Part 2: Safe Decorations & Calm Festivities (ToGo Vet 2024-2025)
Welcome back to our holiday pet safety series! In our previous post, we discussed potentially toxic festive foods and plants. Now, let's turn our attention to other common hazards around the home: decorations and the general hustle and bustle of festivities. Ensuring a safe environment will help keep the holidays happy for everyone, including our beloved animal companions in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Deck the Halls (Safely!): Navigating Decoration Dangers
Sparkling lights and festive décor transform our homes, but they can pose risks to curious pets. Here’s how to pet-proof your decorations:
Secure the Christmas Tree: A climbing cat or a dog bumping into the tree can cause it to topple, potentially injuring your pet or causing damage. Use a sturdy base, and consider securing the tree to a wall or ceiling with a fishing line for extra stability.
Cover Tree Water: The water reservoir for live trees can be tempting for thirsty pets, but it might contain harmful bacteria, fertilizers, or preservatives leaching from the tree. Keep it covered securely to prevent drinking.
Keep Decorations Out of Reach:
Ornaments: Glass ornaments can shatter and cause cuts if broken. Smaller ornaments can be choking hazards or cause internal blockages if swallowed. Place fragile or small items higher up on the tree.
Tinsel & Ribbons: These shimmering strands are notoriously attractive, especially to cats, but they are extremely dangerous if ingested. Tinsel can cause serious intestinal blockages requiring surgery. Ribbons pose similar risks. It's often best to avoid tinsel altogether if you have pets. Ensure ribbons from gifts are cleaned up promptly.
Navigating the Noise: Keeping Festivities Calm for Pets
Holiday gatherings, parties, and events like New Year's Eve often involve more people, unfamiliar activities, and loud noises—all potential stressors for pets.
Loud Noises (e.g., Fireworks, Music, and Crowds): Pets have sensitive hearing, and sudden, loud sounds like fireworks or even loud party music can trigger significant anxiety and fear. Watch for signs like panting, pacing, trembling, hiding, excessive vocalizing, or accidents in the house.
Provide a Safe Haven: Ensure your pets have access to a quiet, comfortable, and secure space where they can retreat if they feel overwhelmed. This could be a crate in a back room, their bed under a table, or a quiet bedroom. Provide familiar toys and bedding, and perhaps play some calming background music or white noise if you have found that these help your pets calm. Keep doors and windows secure to prevent escapes.
Plan Ahead for Known Anxiety: If you know your pet suffers from severe anxiety, especially related to fireworks, don't wait until the last minute. Schedule a behavioral health consultation with ToGo Vet's mobile veterinarians and behavioral health experts well in advance. We can discuss options like behavior modification techniques, anxiety wraps, pheromone diffusers, or prescription medications that can help manage their fear and make the holidays less stressful for them.
When Holiday Hazards Cause Harm
Even with precautions, accidents happen. A tipped tree could cause injury, ingested tinsel could lead to illness, or severe anxiety could manifest in physical symptoms. If you suspect your pet has been injured, ingested a foreign object, or is showing signs of severe distress or illness related to these environmental risks, contact a veterinarian without delay for an appropriate evaluation.
Expert Care for Environmental Holiday Risks
Understanding how to handle these situations comes with experience. Dr. Elizabeth Tenborg, President and owner of ToGo Vet, brings critical expertise to these scenarios. Her more than six years working as an emergency medicine veterinarian means she has firsthand experience treating pets affected by the environmental health risks discussed here—from traumatic injuries to intestinal obstructions caused by decorations and the consequences of severe stress.
Your Partner in a Safe & Peaceful Holiday
We encourage you to take these preventative steps to ensure a safe environment for your pets this holiday season. Remember to secure your tree, cover the water, keep decorations out of reach, provide a safe space during festivities, and plan ahead for known anxiety issues.
If you have questions about holiday safety, are concerned your pet has been injured or made ill by a holiday hazard, or wish to schedule a behavioral consultation for anxiety, don't hesitate to contact Dr. Elizabeth Tenborg at (916) 295-0607 or the ToGo Vet team with this contact form.
From all of us at ToGo Vet, we wish you and your cherished companions a peaceful, safe, and happy holiday season!