How to keep your pets safe during the Christmas and New Year's Eve holidays

Pets don’t like to party the same way we do. While we might enjoy the various festivities that go with Christmas and New Year’s Eve, for our furry friends it’s a season that can be full of health hazards.

Besides the normal chaos that is owning a pet, you have to figure out how to keep the tree decorated with two cats hell bent on destruction, keep the tinsel away from the dogs and make sure they don’t eat anything they shouldn’t.

To make your job a little easier, here are the key things to remember this silly season.

Christmas decorations

Source: Cole and Marmalade/YouTube

It’s not just small children that become a terror around Christmas decorations – cats and dogs also have their way of wreaking tinselled havoc.

Firstly, make sure your tree is securely anchored so your overly-adventurous dog or cat can’t knock it down.

While decorating the tree, do it without pets in the room and avoid teasing your cat or dog with the decorations – this will just make them more alluring objects later.

Tinsel poses a great health risk for cats and dogs, as it can block their intestines and lead to surgical intervention, according to the RSPCA.

If your cat or dog is particularly attracted to sparkly items, it’s best to keep the tinsel well out of reach. Round glass baubles can also pose a risk for dogs, as the shiny, ball-shaped object can break into shards with obvious downsides.

Keep the decorating to a minimum on the bottom third of the tree, where cats or dogs are most likely to reach.

Holiday food

Source: Freshpet/YouTube

It is very tempting to share some of the delicious Christmas spoils with your dog or cat, but be aware there are many foods they can’t eat. Apart from simply overfeeding them – which can be very hard to resist at this time of year – you may also be causing some real damage.

Plain cooked meats in small amounts is fine, but be mindful of any sauces, gravy or marinade, as RSPCA Vic says many of the flavourful spices and ingredients can give your pets a sore stomach.

It’s also tempting to give your dog or cat a turkey wing or ham bone, but cooked bones can easily splinter – especially in the mouths of bigger dogs – and pieces can become lodged in their throat or gut.

There are often plenty of sweet treats around at Christmas, and despite the fact that chocolate is very bad for their health dogs will eat it if they find it.

Make sure all sweets and chocolates are stored well away from your dog’s reach so they don’t accidentally poison themselves.

This all doesn’t mean you can’t treat your pet at all – you can find plenty of animal-friendly Christmas treats in the supermarket or pet stores that will easily keep your furry friend happy.

Fireworks

Source: Drone Hub/YouTube

We might love them, but dogs and cats certainly don’t.

The best thing you can do to try to keep your pets safe and calm is to keep them inside. No matter how secure your yard is, seriously frightened animals can still find a way of escaping. The noise of fireworks will be quieter inside the house, which will help keep your pets calm.

Ensure their tags and microchips are updated. Just in case they do manage to make a break for it, you’ll be able to track them down much faster if your home address and phone number is up to date.

If you know that fireworks cause your pet serious anxiety, it’s a good idea to see a vet to see whether they can prescribe anti-anxiety tablets to help.