Happy holidays to all of our friends (two-legged and four-legged) from the OC Veterinary Medical Center. We hope you have a wonderful, joy filled season. Thank you for entrusting your precious pets care to us. We are looking forward to a great season and a wonderful new year.
Holiday dangers to watch for
Plants: plants make great presents but can be quite toxic if eaten. Lilies and Poinsettias are common ones this time of year. Holly and mistletoe are also toxic to pets.
Tinsel and ribbon can cause a severe intestinal obstruction, especially with cats playing with them. Once they start chewing and swallow, they can’t stop. This means surgery to remove the string.
Food: High fat foods = very upset tummies and a trip to visit us. While we love to see you, we hate to see our patients so sick. While turkey and ham are common culprits- potato latkes and jelly donuts (traditional Chanukah foods) are also loaded with dangerous fats. Chocolate ingestion is a common problem and we see several cases a year. Symptoms can range from upset tummy to convulsions and death. The darker the chocolate and the smaller the pet, the greater the danger. The artificial sweetener Xylitol is very toxic to dogs. Make sure no diet foods with this sugar substitute are where dogs can reach.
Christmas trees: Can fall over if not well secured. The water should be covered as it will contain sap, bacteria, and even fungi which can make a pet very sick. Shattered ornaments can also cause some nasty cuts.
Lights: candles (such as a menorah) can be a dangerous mix with a curious cats. Also unplug indoor holiday lights when not in use. Dogs can chew on cords and bulbs causing electrical burns.
Let’s make sure the holidays are safe for our pets too. Happy holidays.
OC Veterinary Medical Center