Christmas is just around the corner and I thought I should share something related — Christmas hazards and how to keep our pets safe this holiday. We certainly do not want any accidents to happen to ruin this beautiful season! Or at least know what to do when the unexpected happens. Let’s get right to it!

1. Decorations

• Strings, ribbons, tinsel
• Ornaments
• Lights and electric cords

You may think, “What? Why would my dog or cat eat something non-edible?” Curiosity is one reason, playfulness is the other. To be responsible pet pawrents, we have to do our part to keep them safe from these potential hazards.

Strings, ribbons, tinsel

Cats LOVE anything long, wriggly, fluffy and ruffly. To them, it may look like the perfect prey animal! While they may look cute playing with these items, part of it may be ingested without you or the cat noticing.

So… what’s so bad about ingesting it? It can be a choking hazard and cause (linear and nonlinear) gastrointestinal foreign body obstruction.

More on linear foreign body obstruction…

I’m sure we’ve all played with strings before, so we know how string works. When we pull on the 2 ends, the string straighten. The same thing happens in the cat’s intestines. When each end gets stuck at 2 different parts of the gastrointestinal tract, the tugging starts. However, the intestines do not straighten out the same way as the string. Instead, it bunches up, and the string essentially saws through the intestines. Thus, leading to perforation (contents of the intestines leaks into the abdominal cavity), secondary septic peritonitis (inflammation of peritoneum) and even death.

Ornaments

eg. bells, ball ornaments, plastic snowflake, stars etc

You may find your dog in one moment treating the ball ornament like its favourite toy and the next moment it’s gone (into its stomach!). Depending on how big or sharp the object is, the severity of the gastrointestinal foreign body obstruction ranges.

Signs to look out for:

• breathing difficulties
• gagging
• vomiting
• diarrhoea
• loss of appetite
• lethargy

Lights and electric cords

When your furry friends are curious about something, its almost natural that they chew to test it out. And things can get ugly when they chew on electric cords, which can lead to electric cord injuries. They damage mouth tissues and can lead to long-term problems with eating, drinking, breathing, and even death.

Safety tip!

• display the decorations out of reach from your pet — hang them high or outdoors
• place a fence or pen around the tree to limit your dog or cat’s access to all these hazards
• check the electric cords frequently for signs of chewing

2. Plants

• Christmas tree
• Holly & Mistletoe
• Poinsettia & Amaryllis
• Ivy
• Lilies & Azaleas

Christmas tree

Toxicity: Mild (in cats)

Some trees are preserved with chemicals to keep them fresh longer. These chemicals will leach into the water in the tree base, making the water poisonous to drink. Dogs and cats may drink the water if the base is left uncovered.

Pines are toxic to cats (but non-toxic to dogs), they can cause liver damage and even death.

Furthermore, sharp pine needles can damage your dog or cat’s internal organs if ingested.

Not to be too draggy about this but Christmas trees can be huge and heavy, and cats being cats, are curious creatures… and I won’t be surprised if they can find a way to topple the tree.

Safety tip!

• Cover the Christmas tree base with a festive tree skirt, towel, plastic wrap or aluminum foil
• If opting for live trees, go for a fir or spruce tree (non-toxic) instead.
• Clear up the fallen needles as regularly as possible
• Secure your tree to a wall or ceiling with a fishing line or put it in a place that’s inaccessible to your pet if you know it’ll get to it.

Holly & Mistletoe

Toxicity: Mild (in dogs), Severe (in cats)

“Deck the hall with boughs of holly,

Fa la la la la, la la la la,

Tis the season to be jolly,

Fa la la la la, la la la la”

“It’s the most beautiful time of the year

Lights fill the streets, spreading so much cheer

I should be playing in the winter snow (I know)

But I’ma be under the mistletoe”

These songs speak for themselves just how popular these plants are during the Christmas season. That’s why when it comes to listing toxic plants for pets, we wouldn’t think of the holly or mistletoe.

If ingested, holly and mistletoe can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and drooling. In larger amounts, severe reactions may occur, such as a drop in blood pressure and heart rate, breathing problems, seizures and death.

Poinsettias & Amaryllis

Toxicity: Mild to moderate (in dogs and cats)

The sap inside poinsettias’ leaves can irritate your pet’s mouth and oesophagus, and cause toxicity when ingested.

Meanwhile, the whole amaryllis plant is toxic to both dogs and cats. But the bulb is known to be more toxic than the flower and stalk.

If ingested, cats and dogs may experience nausea, lethargy, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive drooling and tremors.

Ivy

Toxicity: Mild to moderate (in cats and dogs)

All parts of the ivy are toxic to dogs and cats, with the leaves having the highest concentration of toxins. Ingesting it can cause irritation to the mouth, nausea, lethargy, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea and excessive drooling. While prolonged skin contact with the plant can cause skin irritation (dermatitis).

Lilies & Azaleas

Toxicity: Severe (in cats), Mild (in dogs)

Almost all types of lilies and the entire lily plant are toxic to cats: the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen, and even the water in a vase. Eating just a small amount of a leaf or petal, licking a few pollen grains off its fur while grooming, or drinking the water from the vase can cause your cat to develop fatal kidney failure in less than 3 days.

While not all types of lilies are toxic to dogs, the majority of lilies can still cause reactions. Ingesting it can cause irritation to the mouth, nausea, lethargy, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive drooling and heart problems.

Safety tip!

• Use artificial plants instead!
• Keep only non-toxic plants!

3. Table scraps & human treats

• fatty food
• garlic, onion, chives, leeks
• bones
• alcohol
• coffee, tea or any caffeinated drink/food
• chocolate
• candies (especially those containing xylitol)
• grapes, raisin
• nuts

Fatty food

In our jolly mood of Christmas celebration, the food we prepare and buy tend to be very fatty. Fried chicken, pork belly, bacon, ribs, hot dog… you name it. With all the unique and tasty smell of the huge variety of food, most (if not all) dogs and cats will beg you to let them have a taste of it. Looking at you with their irresistible puppy or kitty eyes, I mean, how can you not ignore them?

But whatever it is… Do not trade their health and wellness for short term indulgence. Not only can these fatty foods cause gastrointestinal issues, they can also cause a potentially life-threatening and painful disease called pancreatitis.

Symptoms of pancreatitis (in dogs)

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal pain
• Lethargy
• Shaking
• Fever

Symptoms of pancreatitis in cats are harder to tell…

• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy

Garlic, onion, chives, leeks

Used in many of our dishes for fragrance, flavour and texture, these ingredients bring a lot of benefits to us and our cooking. However, they are a type of POISON and TOXIN for dogs and cats. I understand, when it comes to these commonly used ingredients in our life, they may not come up at the top of our heads when we think of toxic food for our pets.

All species of herbs belonging to the Allium family should be avoided in dogs and cats at all costs. They contain oxidising agents that cause oxidative hemolysis of the red blood cells in dogs and cats. As the concentration of oxidants in the red blood cells exceeds the ability of antioxidant metabolic pathways to “detoxify” the cell, poisoning occurs. The red blood cell membranes become fragile due to direct oxidative damage and burst. Red blood cells are needed to transport oxygen throughout the body. When they are destroyed, important organs do not get enough oxygen, thus leading to organ failure and potentially death.

Signs of garlic/onion/chives/leeks toxicity:

• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Lethargy
• Abdominal pain
• Drooling
• Elevated heart rate
• Increased breathing effort, panting
• Collapse
• Pale gums
• Kidney damage: Red urine (hematuria), increased drinking, increased or decreased urination

Bones

Stuffed turkey is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Christmas dinner. And what does it contain? Almost the full turkey, including the bones.

It’s a myth that dogs eat bones. Bones should never be eaten. Although chewing on bones (only SOME TYPES) can bring some dental and nutritional benefits, it can bring many other types of problems if it’s not done properly. And not all dogs are suitable candidates to have bones as treats. There are many other substitutes for bones — dental chews, dental treats, dental diet.

Cooked bones should never be given. It is brittle and does not give any nutritional value.

Any nutrition that is derived from chewing on raw bone comes primarily from the attached soft tissues such as meat, cartilage, fat, and connective tissue. It does not come from the bones themselves, which should never be swallowed. But if not sterilised properly, it can still cause bacterial infection and thus gastrointestinal issues.

Furthermore, eating and chewing on bones can cause a number of problems: broken teeth, mouth injuries, choking, stomach and intestinal injuries, gastrointestinal obstruction, bacterial or parasite infection. So yes, any table scrap bones from your Christmas dinner should never be accessible to your dog or cat!

Alcohol

Wine and Christmas go perfectly together… There’s not really much I can explain here.

Leaving the table to play some games after having a sip of wine and that’s when disaster can happen. Alcohol tolerance in dogs and cats is much lower compared to us. Besides, they’re only about 5 kg — 10 times lighter than us! One sip of wine for us is 10 sips for them!

Signs of alcohol toxicity:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Drooling
• Incoordination
• Lethargy
• Difficulty breathing
• Shaking

In severe cases:

• Collapse
• Low body temperature (hypothermia)
• Low blood pressure (hypotension)
• Seizures
• Low heart rate (bradycardia)
• Shallow breathing

Coffee, tea and any caffeinated drink/food

Similar to alcohol, dogs and cats are much more sensitive to caffeine compared to us. Not known to many of us, caffeine can be found hidden in many foods or drinks we consume. Tiramisu, soda, energy drinks, raw bread dough… all contain a moderate amount of alcohol.

Signs of caffeine toxicity:

• Restlessness
• Hyperactivity
• Vomiting
• Panting
• Tremors
• Seizures
• Rapid/irregular heart beat
• Collapse

Chocolate

Chocolates and sweets are a must-have for many of us in this holiday season — making chocolate toxicity one of the most common cases we see during this time of the year.

Dogs and cats cannot metabolise chocolate as efficiently as us. The toxic chemical in chocolate called theobromine can affect your pets’ central nervous system, heart and kidneys. It can be fatal with as little as 60-100 mg per kilogram of body weight!

Toxicity severity greatly depends on the amount and type of chocolate ingested. For example, 20g of white chocolate ingested by a 10kg dog may not be at toxic levels but if the same mass of dark chocolate is ingested by the same dog, it will be at a fatal toxicity level!

Signs of chocolate toxicity:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Lethargy
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Panting
• Restlessness
• Increased heart rate

In severe cases:

• Tremors
• Seizures
• Heart failure

Candies (especially those containing xylitol)

Sugar loaded candies are plentiful during this season. Besides these normal candies, we try to go for healthier sugar-free options which instead contain xylitol — a highly toxic substance in both dogs and cats.

Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol found in plants and is used as a sugar substitute in many of our daily consumables we eat and use. Some examples include toothpaste and sugar-free candies! However, xylitol is extremely toxic to both dogs and cats. Even a small amount of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure and death in dogs and cats.

Why is this so?

When dogs or cats eat xylitol, the xylitol is quickly absorbed into their bloodstream, resulting in a potent release of insulin from the pancreas. This rapid release of insulin causes a profound drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia), an effect that can occur as quickly as 10-60 minutes after ingestion.

Although normal sugar loaded candies are not toxic to your pets, they can still be a choking hazard and cause other potentially fatal problems such as pancreatitis. Some dogs and cats who has a more sensitive gastrointestinal tract may develop inflammation. The inflammation may be angry enough to spread to the pancreas, thus leading to pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Signs of pancreatitis tend to develop only a few days after and can be quite severe and persistent.

Signs of pancreatitis:

(stated under ‘Fatty food’)

Grapes and Raisin

Grapes go well with many of the Christmas dishes we prepare, such as cheese, fish and pasta. They are present in wine and raisin is just a great snack we humans like to eat.

The toxic substance in grapes for dogs and cats is still not definitively proven and identified yet. However, there has been a potential breakthrough in this finding which identified tartaric acid and its salt, potassium bitartrate (also known as cream of tartar), as the possible culprit [7]. No amount of grape is considered safe for dogs and cats — even half a grape can lead to toxicity. Of course, with any toxins, some dogs are more sensitive than others.

Acute symptoms develop within 24 hours of eating the fruit while severe signs of kidney failure are noticeable 24 to 48 hours after eating the fruit

Signs of grape poisoning:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy
• Increased thirst
• Excessive/reduced urination
• Dehydration
• Coma
• Seizures

Nuts

Feeling a little fancy this holiday? Nuts are the way to go as a snack for us, people.

Nonetheless… Many nuts are toxic to dogs and even if they are not, they have high fat content and can cause other heath issues like pancreatitis and stomach upset. Nuts like almonds and pistachios can be a choking hazard due to their size and shape, especially if your dog is the kind to ‘inhale’ its food!

Toxic nuts that must be avoided:

• macadamia nuts
• black walnuts (we typically eat English walnuts!)

Safety tip!

• Properly dispose of any scraps, ensuring your pet cannot get to it even though it is in the bin!
• Keep your food preparation area or dining area closed off (doors/pen/fence) if you know your pet will come to get something while you’re not noticing
• Keep your pet away from the busyness of the food party (in a room or pen)
• Avoid keeping any food that is toxic to your pet in the house

4. Food bags

Food and snacks are everywhere during this jolly season. As a curious cat or dog, it’ll get all excited from the sight of the fun shapes and sizes of the bags, the crackling sound of the bags and the interesting new smell of different materials.

If a dog or cat puts its head far enough into one and breathes in, the bag being thin enough, can wrap around its nose and mouth, suffocating it in less than 5 minutes.

Safety tip!

• Dispose of any unused bags and making sure your pet can’t get to it (even if it’s in the bin)
• Keep any usable bags out of reach in cabinets

Safety Checklist

• have a handy list of 24 hours emergency vet clinic contacts
• have the contact number and opening hours of your nearest (routine) vet clinic

In the case of an emergency…

• Call your nearest (routine) veterinary clinic to inform them.
• If it is past their opening hours, call a 24 hours emergency vet clinic.
• Head over immediately.
• Time is of essence. Although your pet may not show immediate signs upon ingesting toxins or a foreign object, rushing over to a vet clinic to be attended to can help prevent further absorption of the toxins or internal organ damage.

Want to read more?

Besides keeping your pet safe this holiday season, want to know how to prevent costly treatment and overall reduce your pet’s vet bills? Go have a read of my post on “How to reduce your pet’s vet bills” post!

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References

1. Elfenbein, H., & Mitchell, S. C. (2018, December 14). Dog Christmas Tree Safety Tips for Pet Parents. PetMD. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://www.petmd.com/dog/dog-christmas-tree-safety-tips
2. Purina. (n.d.). Holiday Plants Poisonous to Cats. Purina. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://www.purina.com/articles/cat/care/holiday-plants-poisonous-to-cats
3. Young, A. (2020, February 12). Lily Toxicity in Cats | Animal Health Topics / School of Veterinary Medicine. Animal Health Topics / School of Veterinary Medicine. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://healthtopics.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/feline/lily-toxicity-cats 
4. Schmid, R., Brutlag, A., & Buzhardt, L. (n.d.). Onion, Garlic, Chive, and Leek Toxicity in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospital. VCA Animal Hospitals. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/onion-garlic-chive-and-leek-toxicity-in-dogs 
5. Gwaltney, S. M. (n.d.). Chocolate Toxicosis in Animals – Toxicology. MSD Veterinary Manual. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://www.msdvetmanual.com/toxicology/food-hazards/chocolate-toxicosis-in-animals
6. Schmid, R., & Brutlag, A. (n.d.). Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospital. VCA Animal Hospitals. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/xylitol-toxicity-in-dogs
7. Kelly, R. (2022, August 31). Veterinarians weigh grape poisoning risk – News – VIN. VIN News Service. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://news.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=210&catId=613&Id=11105724