Christmas trees, Christmas candy, and Christmas candles are the three C’s of Christmas that can mean danger for your pets.
Christmas tree safety includes:
- Only using plain water in your tree stand. Some commercial preparations include ingredients like aspirin, which can potentially be dangerous for pets.
- Place any delicate glass ornaments high up on your tree – the ornament glass is often very thin and sharp when broken.
- Make sure your tree is very stable as to not topple over on curious pets. Add a tie from the wall or ceiling if necessary.
- Avoid tinsel, which can “pleat up” in your pet’s intestines and require emergency surgery if ingested.
- Avoid food decorations like popcorn because they attract pets to the tree.
Christmas candy safety means:
- Keep all chocolate candy safely away from pets. Chocolate has caffeine and theobromine, which makes it toxic to four-legged friends.
- Too much sugar is not good for your pets, so stick to cat or dog treats specifically made for pets.
- Some holiday candies include liquors which can be hazardous for pets.
- Do not put candy ornaments on the tree where pets have easy access.
Christmas candle safety means:
- Never leaving lit candles unobserved – they can easily be knocked over by an inquisitive dog or flicked by a cat’s tail
- Some holiday candles have scents and/or flavors that are attractive to pets – stomach upsets or toxicities can result from your pet eating or chewing on them.
