Pets, holidays can be a dangerous mix

The crisp brisk air, the falling leaves, the bustle of people through the stores. Oh what a joyful time. These are all the signs of the pending Holiday Season. Thanksgiving and Christmas ... the time for family to gather around and be thankful for what blessings were bestowed upon our families during the year and to celebrate the birth of our Lord.

This is also a time of year that most often includes our pets. Animals can be quite curious and mischievous at times and this can sometimes lead to tragedy. We all like to share the holidays with everyone, including our pets, but I would recommend pet owners use common sense and caution when including pets in their celebrations.

My two dogs are quite the beggars. They love to sit and look with big eyes just hoping for some morsel of the feast to come their way. Our old dog, a large Okinawan mix breed passed away last year, however, she was the master of begging. When it was just my husband and the kids, Koinu was very well-behaved. She would lie on the hallway carpet just outside of the kitchen and would not approach the table for scraps. However, Koi was very intelligent.

When we had company, my parents particularly, she would strut right over to my mother, lay her head on her lap and gaze up with her big brown eyes. After being scolded several times and being shooed onto her hallway spot, she would eventually get her handouts from the kind woman who had just been conned by the biggest con artist of all time ... my dog.

I never had a big problem with sharing with the dogs occasionally; however, my vet has chastised me in the past for doing so. Giving dogs people food can lead to medical problems such as obesity and can also bring on more severe conditions such as diabetes, liver or kidney failure. Certain foods like chocolate and food sweetened with Xylitol can even be deadly to animals. I would suggest that pet owners contact their Veterinarian to see what they can or cannot give to their pets.

Our pets are not only at risk with food items we may share with them but holiday decorations can be a concern. We often use plants to decorate for the season, which can pose a risk to pets if ingested. Holly, Mistletoe and Poinsettias can all be harmful to cats and dogs if snacked on.

Cats enjoy playing with strings of glittering tinsel; however, tinsel if eaten or swallowed can cause an obstructed digestive tract, resulting in costly vet bills. My “Diva Cat” Shadow seems to believe that the Christmas tree is her own personal seasonal perch. Not only does her climbing the tree and lying there for hours on end have a tendency to misshape the tree that my husband so diligently worked on to shape to near perfection, but she finds that Christmas ornaments are quite annoying and do not belong on her perching location, thus they find their way down to the floor where they can then be batted through the rooms and ultimately down the stairs to the black hole of missing ornaments, or found bobbing in the dogs’ water dish as a warning to all the remaining ornaments.

Many cats are also prone to chewing on things, such as cords for holiday lights. Chewing on holiday lights and playing with ornaments, which many times are made of glass, poses a risk of serious injury to our pets.

The ASPCA has a wonderful Web site set up for owners of pets of all kinds. It is filled with great seasonal tips and facts regarding your pets. The holidays are a wonderful time for families to spend time with loved ones, friends, and our pets. I would encourage pet owners to visit the ASPCA’s Web site at www.aspca.org and download some of their helpful holiday tips.

You may also stop by the local Animal Control Office at 2518 14th St. in Columbus to obtain a copy of some helpful tips or visit with your veterinarian. With information sources such as these everyone can enjoy the holiday season safely, even our pets, thus making it a truly joyous occasion for all.

Donna Winig is a City of Columbus animal control officer.