Dish-Houston

The holiday season is a time that extra precautions need to taken to avoid potential dangers for our pets. These dangers include, but are not limited to the following:

Desiccant Gel Packs 

• They are found in shoeboxes, electronics, medication bottles, and some foods.
• Ingestion produces mild vomiting and diarrhea.

Christmas Tree Preservative

• The sugar in the mixture entices pets to drink the liquid.
• Ingestion rarely causes severe symptoms, but may produce mild vomiting and diarrhea.
• The signs are more severe when the liquid is contaminated with bacteria or fungi.

 Christmas Trees

• Ingestion of the needles may cause vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and depression.

Poinsettia

• Eating large amounts of the plant will cause mild vomiting.
• Treatment is usually not required.

Holly

• All parts of the plant are toxic.
• Eating the plant causes vomiting, diarrhea and depression.

Mistletoe

• Ingestion of just a few leaves or berries produces a mild upset stomach.
• Eating a large amount causes more severe vomiting, diarrhea and heart issues.

Lily - Easter lilies, Tiger lilies, Day lilies, Asian lilies, Japanese Snow, and others

• Chewing on a single leaf can lead to kidney failure.
• Consider all exposures as potentially life-threatening.

Ethanol

• Small dogs and cats are more sensitive to ethanol than humans.
• They are attracted to mixed drinks containing milk, cream, or ice cream.
• Ethanol is rapidly absorbed and can cause signs within 30-60 minutes after ingestion.
• Clinical signs include vomiting, ataxia and disorientation.
• Large amounts lead to coma, seizures and even death.

Chocolate 

• Toxicity causes hyperactivity, increased heart rate, tremors and potential death.
  • The amount of toxin present in chocolate depends on the type.The more bitter the chocolate, the more toxic.
  • Unsweetened baking chocolate contains 6 times more toxin than milk chocolate.
  • White chocolate contains negligible amounts.

Ribbon, Tinsel and String

• Puppies and kittens are attracted to these items.
• When swallowed, the body tries to move the string or ribbon through the intestineThe intestine tends to "bunch up" along the linear object.  The constant movement of the intestine produces a "sawing" action. This eventually leads to perforation of the bowel.
• This is a life-threatening condition requiring surgery.

Electrical Cords

• Puppies and kittens are tempted to play with and chew on electrical cords.
• When a pet bites through an electrical cord, severe burns to the tongue and mouth may occur.
• Damage to the area around the heart can also occur causing the pet's lung to fill with fluid. This leads to difficulty in breathing.
• These are emergency situations requiring immediate veterinary attention.

Miscellaneous

Some other potentially toxic or dangerous items to keep away from your pets include:

• Onions
• Macadamia nuts
• Rising bread dough
• Grapes and raisins
• Tobacco
• Xylitol (found in sugar-free gum)
• Bones
• Candles
• Ornaments
• Batteries 
• Potpourris
• Medications
• Anti-freeze
• Ice melting products
• Rodent poisons
• Stress of having visitor