“During the winter holidays, we traditionally put up Christmas trees, decorate the house, give gifts and invite guests. The feeling of the holidays is wonderful, it remains to make sure that pets pass the holiday season without incident. The pet care experts at Mars Corporation have provided 9 top tips to make the celebration comfortable and safe for pets. How safe”, — write on: ua.news
During the winter holidays, we traditionally put up Christmas trees, decorate the house, give gifts and invite guests. The feeling of the holidays is wonderful, it remains to make sure that pets pass the holiday season without incident. The pet care experts at Mars have 9 top tipshow to make the celebration comfortable and safe for pets.
How to safely decorate a home
Christmas tree. Live Christmas trees – fir, spruce and pine – are considered non-toxic to pets. Be aware that the needles and fertilizer water you put the tree in can still cause an upset stomach if ingested by an animal. It’s the same story with artificial Christmas trees – their synthetic needles can harm the digestive system. So no matter which tree you choose, consider putting a baby fence around it to make your cat or dog less likely to knock over the tree, drink its water, or accidentally eat needles. Stabilize the Christmas tree separately – place it on a heavy base, consider securing it with ropes at the top or sides so that it cannot be tipped over.
Other Christmas plants. Holly, mistletoe, lilies and poinsettia (Christmas flower) can cause serious gastrointestinal problems, convulsions and even death in animals if a cat or dog ingests a piece of this plant. Therefore, it is better for pet owners to avoid these plants at home. But Christmas cacti, orchids, roses and bromeliads are safe, non-toxic winter plants that can be planted at home. However, this does not mean that they can be eaten by animals without control. In any case, if you see your pet chewing on a plant and you are not sure about its toxicity, contact your veterinarian.
Pet-friendly Christmas decorations. Beware of small details on decorations, remove broken toys immediately, refrain from garlands and foil decorations, which animals often like to eat. Instead, consider fabric or wool ornaments – for example, pom poms that can’t be broken. Use bells for decoration, so at the first threat to the Christmas tree and decorations, you will hear a kind of alarm – bells. As for garlands, choose LED lights instead of glass ones so they don’t break. Also, be sure to turn off the garlands when you are not near the Christmas tree, so as not to provoke the animal to play with the cords and not get an injury from an electric shock.
Gift wrapping. Gift wrapping paper is mostly harmless, but ribbons, bows, bells or any other small details in the package can be a problem. If the animal eats any of this, it risks serious problems with the digestive system, up to the blockage of the gastrointestinal tract. So if the gift wrapping includes anything other than paper, make sure the wrapping is out of the reach of the pet.
Candles and a fireplace. When lighting candles or a fire in the chimney, make sure that the pet behaves calmly and does not accidentally injure itself. Consider alternatives – for example, LED candles that mimic ordinary candles, but are safe for animals.
Tips for celebrating
Snacks and treats. The safest pet treats are special animal treats, not human food. Do not feed the animal from the table and control the amount of treats to avoid overeating. If you feed the animal with goodies, subtract them from the daily feed rate and make sure that the goodies do not make up more than 10% of the daily ration. And remember: chocolate, raisins, currants, grapes, onions, chives and garlic can be extremely harmful to pets, because they are toxic. Warn guests that the animal cannot be fed, and prepare some treats in case guests want to treat your pet. By the way, animals have an excellent sense of smell for edibles, so if you received a package with something edible as a gift, you should hide it as far as possible from your pet.
A safe space. Organize a quiet place for the cat or dog where it can rest away from guests. Put there his favorite blanket, toys, maybe turn on calm music to limit the noise of the party. This way the animal will feel calm and safe even in the midst of the celebration. If your pet wants to be around and get to know the guests, give him time to get used to new faces. Introduce your pet to guests gradually, allowing him to sniff and get comfortable at his own pace.
Waste. During and after the holiday, gift wrapping, leftover food, foil, ribbons, etc. may end up in the trash. Close the garbage can tightly, tie the bags, take out the garbage at the first opportunity so that animals cannot ingest dangerous residues.
Schedule of the day. Like any living thing, animals feel calmer if they have a routine. Feed, play, and hang out with your pet during the holidays just like you normally would. If you are expecting guests, take your dog for a walk in advance so that he can run around, release accumulated energy, and rest peacefully.