Festive hazards pets might get into during the holidays

If your pet ingested a substance and you’re unsure if it’s toxic, call your veterinarian or an organization like the Pet Poison Helpline immediately to get your questions answered.  

The calls come into the Pet Poison Helpline with a familiar tune every holiday season: Someone’s dog or cat, curious about the presents under the tree, the tinsel atop it, or another tasty (albeit dangerous) festive hazard decides to make a light meal of whatever it may be.   

Those who field these calls from frantic pet owners say there are several risks to be acutely aware of this time of the year. Additionally, they say letting pet owners know beforehand might help when it comes to worrying about pets messing with decorations. Here are a few holiday safety risks to be aware of. 

Presents present a festive hazard  

If you celebrate this holiday season with gift giving, there are some things pet owners should be aware of – especially if they have a pet that is very curious. Gifts that contain or are packed with batteries are the first red flag says Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT. In her role as the Director of Veterinary Medicine and Senior Veterinary Toxicologist for the Pet Poison Helpline, she’s all too familiar with the deadly risks batteries can pose.   

“If they were to swallow those batteries, those button batteries can cause thermal damage and damage to the stomach lining,” she said. “If they were to ingest any of the dry cell [AA, AAA] batteries that are in a lot of those different types of toys, then that can have corrosive effects in the stomach as well.”   

Besides the internal issues, she notes that even if a pet chews on batteries, those corrosive effects can also have an impact on the mouth and esophagus in the form of ulcerations. But not all gifts are toys with batteries. Schmid notes that if you’re giving chocolates or alcohol as a gift, it’s best to store those somewhere out of your pet’s reach.   

 “Animals are so good at sniffing those out, even if they’re tucked way back behind the tree, they can still get into that,” she added.   

Festive Plants and greenery   

Greenery around the holidays is another staple in many households. From pine trees to wreaths, and even festive table arrangements, there is one thing you should keep an eye out for: Yews and Japanese yew plants.   

“Those actually can cause some significant heart issues to develop in pets if it’s ingested,” Schmid says.   

She recommends checking with your florist for those live greenery arrangements to see if they are using standard pine or fir trees, or if they are using those more toxic yews. Something she and the team do hear worries about often regard poinsettia plants.  

“Poinsettias really get the bad rap,” she added, but notes that they’re less dangerous than other festive hazards. “They contain a chemical called saponins, which typically is just going to cause stomach upset. They may have some excessive drooling, and maybe some vomiting and diarrhea, but should not have any fatal effects.”  

 She says if you do opt to have poinsettias in your house, treating them like you would most plants you don’t want your pet getting into and keeping them out of reach is the way to go.   

A final festive hazard: Other decorations 

Snow globes are another decoration Schmid notes can be potentially dangerous. Some snow globes can contain ethylene glycol – an active ingredient in antifreeze. While she notes that many snow globes do not contain that, or if they do, it’s typically in lower concentrations, to still be careful about putting them in areas where they could fall and break.  

 “I wouldn’t necessarily be significantly concerned if a large dog were to maybe knock over a snow globe and have it break open in them. However, cats are extremely sensitive to ethylene glycol,” she added. “They would just need a very small amount to be potentially problematic.”  

She also warned that smaller dogs ingesting a lot of fluid from inside a snow globe could be an issue. As a precaution, keeping snow globes in a safe area is the wisest move.

Other holiday hazards Owners should also be cognizant of are decorations like tinsel or smaller ribbons, wherever they’re hung.  

“Those really become more of a foreign body issue, especially in our cats. Those can be fatal,” she added.    

Instead of bite-sized bows, Schmid suggests using a ribbon that is much wider and is more difficult for the animal to ingest.  

Our “My Pet Ate” series is done in collaboration with the Pet Poison Helpline. You can learn more about the services they offer on their website or by calling (855) 764-7661.    

Photo credit: © wundervisuals+ iStock via Getty Images   

Disclaimer: The views expressed, and topics discussed, in any NEWStat column or article are intended to inform, educate, or entertain, and do not represent an official position by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or its Board of Directors.