With the holiday season approaching, I'm sure most of us may eat a little less healthy than usual and a few of us may eat enough that we need to sit on the couch and moan for a little while. While the holidays are usually a happy time spent celebrating and spending time with close friends and family, they can be a hazardous time for our pets. In addition to many foods that can be toxic to cats and dogs, there are also other things that we don't think about as commonly that can be harmful such as ornaments, decorations, and certain plants. Below is a list of some of the more common holiday hazards. Obviously, if you notice any abnormal signs in your furry family members, please call us or head to the emergency clinic if we are not open! Either Dr. Wesely or myself always has the on-call phone, even on the holidays, so don't hesitate to call if you’re one of our clients and just unsure.
FOODS:
• Excessive amounts of turkey, chicken, ham, and poultry skin – Just like us, if dogs or cats eat too much of these foods they can show signs of lethargy and depression (commonly shown in people as sitting on the couch watching football after Thanksgiving dinner). These foods can also have a lot of fat and salt in them, which can cause pancreatitis and gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal/belly pain). Any type of animal bones (turkey, chicken, venison, etc.) can cause intestinal problems like diarrhea, vomiting, or blockage that may require surgery.
• Grapes, raisins, onions, and garlic – Although these foods are healthy for us, they are toxic to the kidneys of dogs and cats. Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney disease, which can get expensive to treat and often requires pets to be hospitalized on IV fluids and under close supervision for monitoring. Onions and garlic are part of the Allium family, which causes anemia from red blood cells being damaged.
• Pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, and other fattening foods – Just like fatty meats, these food can cause intestinal upset and pancreatitis. If your pet is demanding some of your holiday dinner, make sure to give them small portions of healthier options such as green beans, carrots, or small pieces of lean non-salted meats.
• Alcohol – Please be careful to keep your pets away from alcohol. Although most of us would not offer our pets alcohol, they can sneak a sip from drinks that are sitting on the table or counter, or if it spills on the floor. If your pet ingests alcohol, it can cause signs of incoordination, vomiting, disorientation, and more severe mental states.
• Chocolate – Most of us have heard that chocolate is toxic to pets. Theophylline is the part of chocolate this is toxic to pets. Levels of this chemical are highest in baker's chocolate and dark chocolate, while milk chocolate and white chocolate have lower levels. Signs of chocolate toxicity include: vomiting, diarrhea, agitation, fast heart rate, and neurologic signs like tremors and seizures. The wrappers and boxes that chocolate is packaged in can also be a problem by causing intestinal upset and possibly causing a blockage that needs to be removed surgically.
• Xylitol – This chemical is an artificial sweetener that is found in sugar free gums, artificially sweetened baked goods, and some other foods like certain types of peanut butter. This chemical can cause low blood sugar in pets, and also causes liver damage.
DECORATIONS:
• Ornaments and tinsel – Although it is funny to watch pets, especially cats, play with decorations on the tree and in the house, these can be harmful if they break or are eaten. Typically cuts on pets paws and legs are not too difficult to repair, but do require sedation and stitches. When pets eat things that are not digestible, or able to be broken down in their stomach or intestines, we refer to this as a “foreign body”. Sometimes foreign bodies can pass with aggressive IV fluid therapy, which helps overhydrate the muscle layers in the digestive tract to help push the material out. For foreign bodies that do not respond to IV fluids, or that are too large to pass, surgery is necessary. IV fluid therapy with hospitalization, as well as surgery are both expensive, so it's much better to try to keep pets away from eating things they're not supposed to. With that being said, I do understand this can be difficult; trust me, I have caught many of my pets trying to eat things they're not supposed to!
• Electrical cords – Burns and electrocution can be difficult and expensive to treat, so please try to keep cords off the ground or hidden so they are out of reach.
PLANTS:
• Easter lilies, day lilies, tiger lilies – These types of lilies are very toxic to cats! If cats chew on the leaves, flowers, or ingest any part of the plant, they can develop severe kidney disease that can be expensive to treat and can be life-threatening. If you notice your cat chewing or eating any of these types of lilies, they need to be seen immediately! Waiting until you see clinical signs makes for a higher incidence of permanent kidney damage and sometimes even death.
• Mistletoe – Eating a small amount of mistletoe can cause mild gastrointestinal problems in cats (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain), but larger amounts can cause more serious health concerns. If you notice your cat eating mistletoe, it is better to be safe and get them checked out.
• Holly berries – These bright red berries can cause gastrointestinal upset as well as central nervous system depression: weakness, lethargic, depression, etc.
• Amaryllis flowers – While all parts of this plant are toxic to cats, the bulb is the most toxic. Signs of toxicity include: drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea. If part of the bulb is eaten, cats can show signs including: low blood pressure, weakness, ataxia (stumbling, wobbly while walking), tremors, and seizures.
• Christmas trees and needles – Some cats enjoy chewing on the trunk of Christmas trees, but this behavior can cause signs such as vomiting, anorexia, depression, and abdominal pain. Cats may also enjoy playing with and eating Christmas tree needles, but sometimes these are hard for them to digest and they may need surgery to remove the needles from the digestive tract.
OTHER HOLIDAY HAZARDS:
• Ethylene glycol (anti-freeze) – As the weather begins to turn colder, many of us begin using anti-freeze. If this chemical is left out, leaks from the vehicle, or creates a puddle on the ground dogs and cats commonly lick it up because it tastes so sweet. This chemical is very toxic to both dogs and cats! It causes acute kidney failure, which can be very expensive and difficult to treat. Some animals may even require diuresis, which is performed at NC State Veterinary School.
• Anti-coagulant rodenticides – With the colder temperatures, small critters sometimes find their way into the house or garage for warmth. Certain rodenticides can be toxic to dogs and cats, and cause their blood to not clot like it should. If you suspect your pet has eaten a rodenticide, or a dead rodent that could have eaten rodenticides, please let us know!
• Glow sticks – For New Year's Eve celebrations, glow sticks/jewelry are very popular. Animals, especially cats, can be fascinated by these, and may decide to try to play with them. Playing with glow sticks or glow-in-the-dark jewelry is not harmful, but if they accidentally bite or claw at it too hard, they can be exposed to the glowing chemical. This chemical is not toxic, but tastes awful! Many cats will run around meowing, hissing, drooling, foaming at the mouth, and vomiting. Most of the time, once they eat something else to get the taste out of their mouth, they seem to do fine. If you are worried, it is always best to get them check out with us to make sure everything else is ok.
I know there are a lot of things on this list to keep tract of. My hope was by making this list, it would give you a reference of things to avoid, and would also help everyone to remember their pet's safety during the holidays. The holidays can turn from happiness and cheer, to worry and anxiety quickly if your furry loved ones eat something or get exposed to something that is bad for them. If you notice your pet eating anything they're not supposed to, or they aren't acting like themselves, please let us know right away! As always, we are here to answer any questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call us with any questions or concerns!
Happy Holidays!
Amelia G Hubbard
FOODS:
• Excessive amounts of turkey, chicken, ham, and poultry skin – Just like us, if dogs or cats eat too much of these foods they can show signs of lethargy and depression (commonly shown in people as sitting on the couch watching football after Thanksgiving dinner). These foods can also have a lot of fat and salt in them, which can cause pancreatitis and gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal/belly pain). Any type of animal bones (turkey, chicken, venison, etc.) can cause intestinal problems like diarrhea, vomiting, or blockage that may require surgery.
• Grapes, raisins, onions, and garlic – Although these foods are healthy for us, they are toxic to the kidneys of dogs and cats. Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney disease, which can get expensive to treat and often requires pets to be hospitalized on IV fluids and under close supervision for monitoring. Onions and garlic are part of the Allium family, which causes anemia from red blood cells being damaged.
• Pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, and other fattening foods – Just like fatty meats, these food can cause intestinal upset and pancreatitis. If your pet is demanding some of your holiday dinner, make sure to give them small portions of healthier options such as green beans, carrots, or small pieces of lean non-salted meats.
• Alcohol – Please be careful to keep your pets away from alcohol. Although most of us would not offer our pets alcohol, they can sneak a sip from drinks that are sitting on the table or counter, or if it spills on the floor. If your pet ingests alcohol, it can cause signs of incoordination, vomiting, disorientation, and more severe mental states.
• Chocolate – Most of us have heard that chocolate is toxic to pets. Theophylline is the part of chocolate this is toxic to pets. Levels of this chemical are highest in baker's chocolate and dark chocolate, while milk chocolate and white chocolate have lower levels. Signs of chocolate toxicity include: vomiting, diarrhea, agitation, fast heart rate, and neurologic signs like tremors and seizures. The wrappers and boxes that chocolate is packaged in can also be a problem by causing intestinal upset and possibly causing a blockage that needs to be removed surgically.
• Xylitol – This chemical is an artificial sweetener that is found in sugar free gums, artificially sweetened baked goods, and some other foods like certain types of peanut butter. This chemical can cause low blood sugar in pets, and also causes liver damage.
DECORATIONS:
• Ornaments and tinsel – Although it is funny to watch pets, especially cats, play with decorations on the tree and in the house, these can be harmful if they break or are eaten. Typically cuts on pets paws and legs are not too difficult to repair, but do require sedation and stitches. When pets eat things that are not digestible, or able to be broken down in their stomach or intestines, we refer to this as a “foreign body”. Sometimes foreign bodies can pass with aggressive IV fluid therapy, which helps overhydrate the muscle layers in the digestive tract to help push the material out. For foreign bodies that do not respond to IV fluids, or that are too large to pass, surgery is necessary. IV fluid therapy with hospitalization, as well as surgery are both expensive, so it's much better to try to keep pets away from eating things they're not supposed to. With that being said, I do understand this can be difficult; trust me, I have caught many of my pets trying to eat things they're not supposed to!
• Electrical cords – Burns and electrocution can be difficult and expensive to treat, so please try to keep cords off the ground or hidden so they are out of reach.
PLANTS:
• Easter lilies, day lilies, tiger lilies – These types of lilies are very toxic to cats! If cats chew on the leaves, flowers, or ingest any part of the plant, they can develop severe kidney disease that can be expensive to treat and can be life-threatening. If you notice your cat chewing or eating any of these types of lilies, they need to be seen immediately! Waiting until you see clinical signs makes for a higher incidence of permanent kidney damage and sometimes even death.
• Mistletoe – Eating a small amount of mistletoe can cause mild gastrointestinal problems in cats (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain), but larger amounts can cause more serious health concerns. If you notice your cat eating mistletoe, it is better to be safe and get them checked out.
• Holly berries – These bright red berries can cause gastrointestinal upset as well as central nervous system depression: weakness, lethargic, depression, etc.
• Amaryllis flowers – While all parts of this plant are toxic to cats, the bulb is the most toxic. Signs of toxicity include: drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea. If part of the bulb is eaten, cats can show signs including: low blood pressure, weakness, ataxia (stumbling, wobbly while walking), tremors, and seizures.
• Christmas trees and needles – Some cats enjoy chewing on the trunk of Christmas trees, but this behavior can cause signs such as vomiting, anorexia, depression, and abdominal pain. Cats may also enjoy playing with and eating Christmas tree needles, but sometimes these are hard for them to digest and they may need surgery to remove the needles from the digestive tract.
OTHER HOLIDAY HAZARDS:
• Ethylene glycol (anti-freeze) – As the weather begins to turn colder, many of us begin using anti-freeze. If this chemical is left out, leaks from the vehicle, or creates a puddle on the ground dogs and cats commonly lick it up because it tastes so sweet. This chemical is very toxic to both dogs and cats! It causes acute kidney failure, which can be very expensive and difficult to treat. Some animals may even require diuresis, which is performed at NC State Veterinary School.
• Anti-coagulant rodenticides – With the colder temperatures, small critters sometimes find their way into the house or garage for warmth. Certain rodenticides can be toxic to dogs and cats, and cause their blood to not clot like it should. If you suspect your pet has eaten a rodenticide, or a dead rodent that could have eaten rodenticides, please let us know!
• Glow sticks – For New Year's Eve celebrations, glow sticks/jewelry are very popular. Animals, especially cats, can be fascinated by these, and may decide to try to play with them. Playing with glow sticks or glow-in-the-dark jewelry is not harmful, but if they accidentally bite or claw at it too hard, they can be exposed to the glowing chemical. This chemical is not toxic, but tastes awful! Many cats will run around meowing, hissing, drooling, foaming at the mouth, and vomiting. Most of the time, once they eat something else to get the taste out of their mouth, they seem to do fine. If you are worried, it is always best to get them check out with us to make sure everything else is ok.
I know there are a lot of things on this list to keep tract of. My hope was by making this list, it would give you a reference of things to avoid, and would also help everyone to remember their pet's safety during the holidays. The holidays can turn from happiness and cheer, to worry and anxiety quickly if your furry loved ones eat something or get exposed to something that is bad for them. If you notice your pet eating anything they're not supposed to, or they aren't acting like themselves, please let us know right away! As always, we are here to answer any questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call us with any questions or concerns!
Happy Holidays!
Amelia G Hubbard
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