We love getting our pets involved in the holidays. We buy them presents, include them in family photos, make them wear sweaters...
Maybe while we're doing things that we consider fun and festive, we should consider doing things for our pets to keep them safe and healthy during all of this merriment.
When decorating the tree, steer clear of tinsel. Cats love shiny things and to them, tinsel is a shiny toy. They will eat it, and tinsel can wreak havok on a cat's innards. While we're on the subject of trees, make sure it's in a secure tree stand or anchored to a wall if it's really big. Cats with claws will use this as a new playhouse, and dogs will run into the tree while playing, by accident of course.
Put away extra lights, ornaments, bows, ribbons, batteries and other Christmas flora and fauna. Shocks, cuts, burns, etc. will ensue if a pet gets too curious.
Say no to mistletoe and holly. These are both poisonous plants and if your pet ingests holly, they will get nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal issues and cardiovascular problems. Ponsettias as also bad for an animal's health so they may be pretty, but keep them out of the house.
It's common knowledge now that chocolate is bad for animals. But keeping it up on the counter isn't enough to keep sweets away from an animal on a mission. Put it in a container and refrigerate or close up in a cupboard. The same goes with alcoholic beverages. If an animal ingests alcohol serious medical complications can occur so keep a watchful eye on Fido and your fuzzy navel.
If you have a party, sometimes pets are shy and want their space. Give them a nice, quiet place to go when the want to sleep or to retreat when things get to noisy.