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Fact Box

Top 10 pet health tips for the holidays

- Be wary of holiday decorations; pets often consume them. If they eat enough tinsel or other

decorations, it can cause a blockage that requires surgery.

- Flowers are another common holiday feature that can result in an emergency visit. Poinsettias, Amaryllis and mistletoe are on the list of common holiday plants that can be dangerous and even poisonous to house pets who decide to eat them.

- Just like people, some pets are better at dealing with houseguests than others. If you know your pet has a problem with visitors, work with your veterinarian for solutions. For severe problems, your veterinarian may recommend medications or even boarding the animal.

- Don't let your pet climb the Christmas tree. If the tree falls over, your pet could be injured. Consider tying the tree to the ceiling or a doorframe using fishing line.

- Cover Christmas tree water to keep animals from drinking it. The sap from live Christmas trees can make your pet sick.

- Many people believe that people food makes good treats for their pets, but this isn't the case. Many common ingredients in a holiday feast like onions, garlic, chocolate and artificial sweeteners are poisonous to pets. And dogs that consume an excessive amount of fatty foods, by cleaning a turkey carcass pulled from the trash, for example, can develop a life-threatening condition called pancreatitis.

- Whether they are Halloween candies or Christmas chocolate, keep sweets out of your pet's reach, particularly while you're out. A pet that consumes chocolates while you're away at work, for example, might be too sick for your veterinarian to save by the time you get home.

- Unplug decorations while you're not around. Cats and dogs are often tempted to chew electrical cords.

- Keep any gift that includes human food out of a pet's reach. With their sensitive sense of smell, dogs and cats can find those wrapped treats and open them when you're not around.

- Candles are a common part of many holiday celebrations. Make sure that you keep lit candles out of a pet's reach, because the animal could light themselves, or your home, on fire.

Source: ARAContent

The holidays are fast approaching and, with them, all the chaos of company, fervor of baking and cooking and hustle and bustle of wrapping and decorating.

While it is a time to get together with loved ones, it is also a time to be extra attentive to your beloved pets.

"We're lucky, we've never had any of those (National Lampoon's Christmas) Vacation-type things happen," said Humane Society of the Ohio Valley shelter manner?Steve Herron, referring to a scene in the popular holiday movie where a cat meets its unfortunate end after chewing on Christmas tree lights.

There are many hazards, though, that pet owners might not think of when the hectic activities are under way.

"You should never let pets drink the water at the bottom of the tree," Herron warned, "and sometimes, like people, we might tend to overindulge our pets."

Some festive foods are actually very harmful to pets, including chocolate, holiday ham (because of the excess salt), and turkey and ham bones.

Some of the worst cases that veterinarian Dr. David Spindler sees after the holidays are related to something the animal has eaten.

"Many dogs and cats come in with pancreatitis. I would say that's probably the worst thing we see," he said.

Glass and aluminum ornaments and tinsel also can be dangerous if an animal gets ahold of them.

"You have to childproof your home, just like you would for a small child," Spindler said. "Put things up where the animals can't get to them."

Sap and needles from pine trees and poinsettias can also pose problems.

The bright colors of poinsettias can be very alluring but can make a dog very ill and are potentially fatal for cats, according to Spindler.

Ribbons and bows can also be enticing for cats but too often wind up in or around the animal's throat.

And while we may enjoy the yearly visit from relatives we rarely get to see, the extra company can be difficult for some pets to deal with.

"If the pet tends to get highly stressed, we recommend to put them off by themselves and gradually reintroduce them as the guests come in," Spindler said.

If the guests will only be staying for a little while, it might be best to cage the dog or put the cat somewhere that it feels safe.

"Make the rules about food plain and simple to guests," Spindler suggested.

Including your pet in the gift-giving tradition is fine, as long as you stay away from things that will harm the animal, such as squeaky toys or toys with lead.

And while giving gifts is OK, giving pets as gifts is a no-no, according to Spindler.

"There is too much going on to try to introduce a new (puppy or kitten) to a new environment," he said.