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This morning we would like to extend a warm welcome to Megan Rector, MS, DVM from VRCC Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Hospital, who is here to tell us all about the top five holiday hazards for pets that most people don’t know about. By sharing stories of actual cases seen through the hospital, Rector paints a cautionary tale to ensure that everyone can enjoy the holidays safely.

Poinsettias fill homes with colour during the holidays and we all hear how they’re life-threatening to pets. But the truth is that they’re not very toxic. While they do contain a milky sap that can irritate the mouth and other symptoms from contact, it is usually a mild reaction. There are far more dangerous pet hazards during the holidays. Here are the top things for you to watch out for.
Take the case of a cat named Hank. He came into VRCC after swallowing a thread that was still attached to a needle. Cats are more attracted than dogs to these kinds of objects and love to chew and play with string, ribbon and similar items that are used to make homemade holiday garlands and crafts. Particularly appealing to cats is the shiny tinsel on the Christmas tree, so it might be best to leave these temptations in a drawer and decorate a simple tree foregoing the tinsel all together. It is also important to place the ornaments on higher branches to avoid the temptation to play. For Hank, it was a happy ending, courtesy of the internal medicine veterinary specialists at VRCC.
Hank’s x-ray depicting the swallowed object.

We can also share with you the case of Nicholas, is a Bernese Mountain dog. He ate about 15 feet of Christmas garland, which you can see in the light area under the ribs and to the right of the spine. The garland was removed using an endoscope, snaking the scope down the mouth and esophagus so the garland could be grasped with a special tool and removed from the stomach. Nicholas was uncomfortable for a few days while his esophagus and stomach healed up, but he recovered and is now doing fine. (If you believe your pet has swallowed one of these objects, don’t try to pull it back out their throat yourself. Take them to your family veterinarian for an exam.)

Nicholas’ x-ray of the swallowed garland.
Other holiday hazards for pets include:
  • Spray on snow/flocking, foil, plastic wrap/shrink-wrap, Styrofoam peanuts.
  • XMAS Tree Food/Preservatives: Got a real tree this year? Watch out. Veterinarians at VRCC say sugar-based tree preservatives and tree food/water can harbor dangerous bacteria and thirsty pets may decide to use the tree stand as a drinking bowl.
  • Batteries: It may be great to have batteries for that new, cool toy, but chewing or swallowing batteries is extremely toxic. Acid burns are common from puncturing the battery through chewing causing the acid to leak out as well as cuts from the metal casing. Dogs are more likely to do this as they often rip toys apart, chew and eat the parts.
  • Potpourri: The spicy smell can fill the house with a wonderful scent, but a cat can experience irritation and corrosion of the eyes, mouth, throat and esophagus if exposed to the liquid form. Cats are more at risk as they can jump on counters or stoves and stick their noses in the container.
Hopefully, these valuable emergency room tips from VRCC will help keep you and your entire family safe and happy this holiday season.