Veterinarian in Montana provides holiday safety tips for pets

Billings, Montana – Even though you might like the holidays, it seems that pets and Christmas décor don’t always go together.

We frequently become engrossed in the holiday frenzy, which includes creating goodies, decorating, and even surprising loved ones with parcels tied with bows and strings.

But a veterinarian we spoke with said that all those items could be harmful to dogs and cats.

“Just monitoring what your pets have access to,” said Dr. Edie Best with Billings Animal Family Hospital.

Best believes that while there’s no need to worry, it is something to be aware of.

She claims that hazards are present throughout our houses over the holidays, ranging from consuming ornamental items to chewing on electrical lines and eating dangerous foods.

“If you have a crazy puppy, don’t leave the candy down on the coffee table because sure enough they’re going to get into it,” she said.

That’s not all, though.

The days leading up to Christmas are a good time to consider how to keep food, decorations, and other items away from pets. This includes things like food at the dining table and glass ornaments that dogs mistake for balls.

“And one thing that people don’t think of and think a lot of, people have artificial trees these days, but if you have a real tree be careful what sort of water you have in the tree holder to make sure that’s not got chemicals or anything in it,” said Dr. Best.

She requests that pet owners think of unique ways to safely integrate their animal companions into the celebration.

One method is to hang a stocking up until the appropriate time to give them those things and make sure they receive special toys and snacks for Christmas.

Dr. Best adds that the ribbon and rope we use to wrap presents pose a risk to cats.

She continued by saying it’s a good idea to confine anxious pets in a safe area in a different room or crate and keep them away from holiday guests.