How To Keep Your Dog Safe During The Holidays

The holidays are in full swing, and with all the activity, this is the perfect time to make sure your home is pet safe. In this article, we’ll address some of the key points – some which are obvious, and some which are not – to ensure that you can keep your pup safe over the holiday period.

Food

One of the first things we want to address is food. Holiday parties and treats are a big part of our celebrations, but there are certain foods that are toxic for dogs, including:

Chocolate
Onions
Garlic
Grapes
Raisins

In addition, other items that should be avoided include fatty foods (they can cause the destruction of your dog’s red blood cells) and raw dough, which can make your dog very sick and can even be deadly.

While we may want to slip our dog a treat or two, we need to be mindful of the danger. Also, any seasoned meats or other desserts should be avoided. A frozen Kong filled with 100% natural peanut butter and kibble can be a great alternative. While I recommend 100% natural peanut butter, if you choose other brands, make sure it doesn’t contain xylitol or “birch sugar”. These are artificial sweeteners and are toxic for your dog.

Alcohol

Alcohol can be deadly. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant for a dog and is quickly absorbed into their bloodstream. Leaving unfinished drinks lying on a table within your dog’s reach, or even party guests offering your dog alcohol because they think it will be funny, can have serious consequences (even in small amounts). Ingesting alcohol can lead to serious vomiting, difficulty in breathing, tremors, seizures, put your dog in a coma, and in the most serious cases, lead to death.

Holiday decorations

No home is complete at this time of year without decorations, but some plants can actually be toxic for your dog. Holiday plants to be aware of are poinsettias, lilies and mistletoe – they should be inaccessible for your dog.

Holiday decorations are fun, and your dog may think so as well – blinking lights and spinning ornaments on a tree can be awfully tempting and interesting. Securing the Christmas tree in some fashion will help prevent the tree from tipping over, which could cause injury.

Tinsel on your tree, while pretty, can be a big problem. If your dog ingests tinsel, it is a serious emergency – because it is string-like, it can act like a wire through cheese, cutting or bunching the intestines. It may lead to your dog requiring emergency surgery. If this happens, do not induce vomiting as this can make things substantially worse; instead, contact a vet immediately. It is a part of decorating that needs to be out of your dog’s reach.

Candles

Creating a mood with candles or lamps can add to the festivities, but should not be left unattended. This can be dangerous if your dog were to knock them over, starting a fire or potentially injuring your dog.

Lowering your dog’s stress

As holiday gatherings can be stressful for your dog, provide them with the opportunity to get away from the action. This is why crate training – and selecting the correct size of crate – is so important to your dog’s wellbeing. This can provide an environment your dog understands and is safe and secure. We like to think that our dogs would like to be among all of the activity, but in many cases, they prefer a more secluded place.

Be prepared

Being prepared is key. Make sure your veterinarian’s phone number is easily accessible, as well as the address of the 24 hour emergency veterinarian.

In addition, these phone numbers can be a life saver.

ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661

Make sure to save these phone numbers in your mobile phone, and consider sticking them on a piece of paper on your refrigerator. In an emergency, every second counts.

Finally, if you are traveling or have an anxious dog who may try to escape during a busy party, I recommend some sort of GPS tracker or collar on your dog. Over the summer, I was helping a man from out-of-state whose dog had taken off when startled. If he had something like these collars, we could have tracked and located the dog easily. This could be a life saver and important tool in the recovery of your dog. Note that an Apple air tag will not provide the information needed.

In conclusion

Taking the time to follow a few steps and making your environment pet friendly can make all the difference in a great holiday. Of course, accidents happen, but taking the time to prepare can reduce the likelihood of them occurring.

From all of us at Highland Canine, here’s to hoping you and your family have a great holiday season.