Animal Hospital of DePere

703 North 9th Street
De Pere, WI 54115

(920)336-5774

www.animalhospitalofdepere.com

Animal Hospital of De Pere Blog

8 Christmas Tree Safety Rules: - 12/04/2021



#1 Anchor Your Tree: Use a heavy sturdy base to help keep your tree standing up right, especially if your cat is a climber.  Some fishing line and eye bolts can secure the tree making it even more stable.  

#2 Block Off the Tree Water: We don't want that scene from the Griswald's Christmas. So blocking off access to the tree water container will lower that risk.  It lowers the risk of drinking water contaminate with chemicals use to keep the tree green.   


#3. Have a Plan for Pine Needles: Most holiday trees (pine, spruce, and fir trees) don’t carry a risk of toxicity to dogs and cats. But oils from needles and branches may irritate the mouth or stomach. This can cause excessive drooling, vomiting, or diarrhea. Pine needles are sharp and non-digestible. They might puncture the mouth, throat, stomach, or intestines if swallowed. Ingesting large amounts of tree needles can cause an intestinal block that requires surgery.  Try to vacuum up fallen tree needles often, and keep your pet from chewing on branches.


#4 Say NO To Tinsel: Keep away from string and tinsel which can be eaten by cats and puppies.  Long items, like string and tinsel, can cause an intestinal blockage which might require surgery.  

#5 Avoid Glass and Sharp Objects: Cats love shiny things, especially shiny things that hang a tree they want to climb. Try to use plastic ornaments and hang the glass ornaments higher up on the tree. This lessens the risk of ornaments falling down and breaking. Ornament hangers can also pose a risk for ingestion or getting puncture wounds so make sure you pick up any loose hangers. 

#6 Cover Electric Cords: Kittens and puppies in particular love electric cords. Chewing on the cords can cause electrical shock.  Make sure these are covered or positioned in an area not easily accessible.  

#7 Keep Gifts Containing Food Away from Pets: Food gifts need to come out once the family sits down to open presents. 1-ounce of dark chocolate can be toxic to a 15 pound dog. 
 
 #8 Be Cautious with Holiday Plants: Ingesting Poinsettias and holly can cause stomach upset. Mistletoe can cause serious side effects, like difficulty breathing, collapse, seizures, and even death. Amaryllis may cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, excessive drooling, depression, or tremors. And lilies cause kidney failure in cats if ingested.