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Archive for December 4th, 2010

Keeping your christmas tree pet safe

Saturday, December 4, 2010
posted by Jim Murphy

dog-treeWell, today’s the day that I’m putting up my Christmas tree. I have two cats who are used to the tree by now but there are still some precautions that I need to take. I have an artificial tree so I don’t have to worry about my cats chewing on the branches. I’ve written about a very bad experience that I had many years ago when I used to put tinsel on the tree. My cat at the time ate the tinsel and almost died. First rule of thumb, if you have a cat or dog, do not use tinsel. They will chew on it and it will get stuck in their intestines. Instead,  use garland.  Second, place glass and expensive ornaments in the middle or top of the tree. My cats like to swat the ornaments. This could be dangerous if they knock them off the tree and break. The glass could harm but you and your pet. I put the inexpensive plastic ornaments near the bottom of the tree.

If you have a live tree, try to lure your pets away from it by having cat or dog treats on hand to distract them from chewing on the needles. The needles could get lodged in your pets throat.  Place decorations such as holly,  poinsettias and mistletoe in high sections.  The berries from mistletoe could cause your pets blood pressure to drop.

Remove strings and ribbons from presents under the tree. Your pets may think that they are toys. These items can cause your pet to choke.

Never use chocolate ornaments!

If you pet is a chewer, tape the electrical cords.

Happy tree trimming and enjoy the holiday!