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Keep Fido Safe! Pet Dangers Increase During Holidays

By December 18, 2018April 2nd, 2020Blog

The Christmas season is filled with celebrations and spending time with loved ones. But this time of year also brings more pet emergencies than any other.  One national insurance company reports that their clients spent over $41 million dollars on pet medical emergencies during the holidays last year.

At this time of the year, pets are exposed to harmful foods, drinks and decorations. The most common toxic items that insured pets ingested last holiday season were chocolate, nuts, and raisins. These foods can lead to illness and even death for dogs. According to WebMD, chocolate is one of the most common causes of dog poisoning.  Treating chocolate poisoning for a pet can average around $500.

Food is not the only cause of a pet emergency at Christmas. Pets are guilty of eating tinsel, tree decorations, gift wrap and ribbon. Ingestion of such items often leads to surgery, which can cost over $1800 to treat.  If a pet consumes toxic food or a foreign object, he or she should be taken to a veterinary hospital immediately.  Here are some recommendations to keep your pet safe:

  • Don’t leave food or sweets lying around
  • Make sure holiday decorations are out of reach
  • Keep the contact information for the emergency veterinarian and a number for animal poison control center in case of an emergency

We hope you and your pets have a save and happy holiday!

 

The information in this article was obtained from various sources and is not all inclusive regarding the subject matter. This content is offered for educational purposes only.