Safety tips to keep our furry friends safe this holiday

JACKSON, Wy - (KIFI) - As we gather for the holidays there are certain dangers for our pets if we are not careful. We got some words of advice from Spring Creek Animal Hospital in Jackson. They say it can be fun to dress up
pets in festive holiday costumes but make sure they are comfortable with it.

Dr. Stephanie Ninnemann says have fun but be mindful of the pet.

"So really if you are going to have any holiday garb on your pet make sure it is something they are very well accustomed to like Alfalfa here who is very used to being harassed and having clothes on all the time.“

Pets may find it hard to leave Christmas ornaments alone so watch that but also that water left out for the live Christmas trees.

“Sometimes people like to put things like bleach or sugar or aspirin it might be helping the longevity of the tree especially those dogs that get into things or those cats that are very curious if they drink that water from the tree that could cause some serious toxicity for them too."

Live plants like Poinsettias can be harmful to pets but also other plants you may not think of.

“Yes poinsettias can be toxic and they can cause some problems with the GI system but in order for them to show toxicity a dog or a cat would have to eat about 3 plants worth before we start to see that issue. The other thing that I see more plant toxicity is going to be more with other plants like the amaryllis, mistletoe, the cedar the holly, some of those other types of plants that I see around the house and commonly used in Holiday decorations. Other things that can cause problems are the essential oils and potpourri Those things can cause burns, chemical burns in the mouths of animals that chew on them when they get into them."

Be careful in the kitchen as well this Holiday Season says Dr. Ninnemann.

"The kitchen is where a lot of the holidays are focused for some people. Things like the rich roast beast or the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy may not have toxicity but they can be very rich and can cause
pancreatitis that can be life threatening if a dog or a cat gets into the trash can or even up on the counter where they shouldn’t be getting into that food.

Also some of the baking that happens like sweetbreads . Yeast in particular can be problematic for some dogs and cats. If they eat it raw it can rise in their stomachs and we see very serious risks of bloat. So that is another concern I have along with the chocolate and alcohol they shouldn’t be getting into either.

Happy Holidays to all our furry friends.