Unless you are a procrastinator, chances are you have already put up your Christmas decorations. While decorations are nice to look at, many of them are also dangerous to pets. Add some toxic plants commonly associated with Christmas and some festive foods dangerous to pets and you have numerous items that can pose a risk to your best friends!

Christmas Tree
Pets who have access to the tree can get into trouble. Cats may climb the tree while dogs can knock it over. Ensure that the tree is safely secured at the top and bottom and that all of the electrical cords and wires are made inaccessible to pets. If your tree is real, don’t allow your animal companions access to the tree’s reservoir and do not use tree preservatives in the water.

Decorations
While decorations add a festive touch, they can also be harmful to pets. Decorations that can break into little pieces should not be used. Ribbon and tinsel, which can cause gastrointestinal blockages, should be avoided. Evergreen needles, from the Christmas tree or from decorative boughs, which have fallen can also cause problems if ingested and should be immediately cleaned up.

Candles & Fire
Pets can be burned by candles. A fire can also be started if a lit candle is knocked over. So, if you have pets (or young children) do not use candles. A fire in the hearth or wood stove, while enjoyable, can also harm pets. Use common sense to ensure that your animal companions are not injured by fire - or accidentally start one!

Toxic Plants
Many plants associated with Christmas are harmful to pets (and humans.) While some of the plants have a low toxicity, others are very toxic and can result in death. Err on the side of caution and refrain from having toxic plants in and around your home or, at the very least, make sure that they are inaccessible to pets and children. If you are not sure if a plant is toxic to animals, you can obtain information from books, from the Internet or from your veterinarian. The following is a short list of plants that should be avoided: Mistletoe, Holly, Poinsettia, Christmas Rose, Christmas Cactus, Lily, Star of Bethlehem, Yew, Jerusalem Cherry, Hibiscus, Jequirity Bean, Christmas green (e.g. pine, cedar.)

Food
Many "human foods" are harmful to pets. Chocolate is toxic to animals. So too are onions and other members of the onion family which cause a condition known as Heinz body hemolytic anemia - which can be fatal. Pets should not be given bones as they can splinter and lodge in an animal’s throat or intestine. Turkey and chicken bones are particularly brittle.

Christmas is a special time of the year. However, there are many festive dangers that our animal companions can be exposed to. Please take the time to learn the Christmas hazards that pets may come into contact with and take the time to educate others who are fortunate to share their lives with animal companions.