🎄 Holiday Safety Tips for Dogs and Cats

3 days ago

6 min read

Keep the Season Merry & Bright

Creekside Veterinary Clinic — Located on Hwy 14 in Black Earth, WI📞 (608) 767-1400

The holidays bring cozy gatherings, festive décor, and so many delicious smells — but they also come with risks for our four-legged family members. At Creekside, we want your dogs and cats to enjoy a safe, joyful, stress-free season.

Below are the biggest holiday hazards (and how to avoid them) as you deck the halls!

🆘 Plan Ahead for Emergencies

The holidays get busy — it’s always easier to stay calm when you already have the essentials saved.

✔️ Before festivities begin:

Save our number: (608) 767-1400
- Know your closest 24/7 ER clinics, scroll to the bottom of our homepage for contact information, directions, and links
  👉https://www.vetcarecreekside.com
Keep emergency contacts posted where everyone in your household can see them

⚠️ Call Creekside right away if your pet shows:

Vomiting or diarrhea
Drooling
Tremors or seizures
Weakness or collapse
Sudden lethargy or behavior changes
Swollen or painful belly
Inability to urinate

📌 Important Numbers

• Creekside Veterinary Clinic: (608) 767-1400

• Local Emergency Vet List: Insert your link here

• ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435

• Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661

🎀 Decorations: Pretty… but Potentially Risky

🎄 Oh, Christmas Tree

A decorated tree is magical — and extremely interesting to pets.

Watch for:

Tree tipping risks
Breakable ornaments- these come with a risk of injury, cuts, or intestinal obstructions
Salt-dough ornaments (very dangerous due to high salt!)
Tree water with fertilizer or bacteria- these can be unsafe for pets

Tips:

Anchor the tree securely, use a stable base or stand as well.
Use shatterproof ornaments on lower branches
Cover the tree water

🌿 Seasonal Plants: Know What’s Toxic

Some festive plants are beautiful but unsafe for pets.

Toxic Plants & Their Risks:

Holly & poinsettia: vomiting, diarrhea, drooling
Mistletoe: GI upset + potential heart problems
Lilies: extremely toxic to cats — can cause kidney failure

Safer alternatives:Christmas cactus, roses, or artificial arrangements

🔗 ASPCA Plant Toxicity List (safe to link on website):https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants

✨ Tinsel-Less Town

Cats love tinsel, ribbons, and curly gift bows… a little too much. Some dogs and those puppies will also find these irresistible….

These can cause:

Linear intestinal foreign bodies, or intestinal obstruction
Emergency surgery, and this isn’t on anyones holiday wish list….

Safer choices:Skip tinsel, keep ribbons stored safely, and avoid string-based toys.

🕯️ Candles, Oils & Holiday Scents

Be cautious around:

Candles- we want to avoid burns and fire hazards
Wax/oil warmers
Essential oils (tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint, wintergreen & clove = unsafe)
Potpourri (liquid or dry)- these can contain oils and materials that can irritate or be toxic to pets.

Tips:

Never leave open flames unattended
Use sturdy holders on stable surfaces
Swap to flameless candles
Expect curious noses — keep scents subtle and safe

🔌 Wired Up: Electrical & Breakable Hazards

Holiday decorations often come with tempting cords and small objects.

Keep away from paws:

Electrical cords (chewing = burns/electrocution)
Batteries (cause mouth & stomach burns)

Tip: Cord protectors or bitter sprays help deter chewing.

🎁 Gifts & Wrapping Supplies

Pets love “helping” with presents.

Items to watch for:

Batteries
Small toys or plastic parts
Ribbon, string, tape, bows
Squeakers

Tip: Clean up wrapping items promptly and supervise gift opening.

🍽️ Festive Food Hazards

The holiday buffet is exciting for humans but dangerous for pets. Many seasonal foods can cause digestive upset, toxicity, or life-threatening conditions.

🍫 Skip the Sweets

Chocolate and xylitol-sweetened items are among the most dangerous holiday toxins.

Chocolate- all types, each will vary in it’s toxicity level. Normally the purer or darker the chocolate the higher the risk. Check out this link if you expect an exposure:
Baked goods containing xylitol- This can cause a crash of blood sugar. You will find xylitol in sugar free gum, baked good, and some peanut butters.

Be especially careful with:

Guests setting plates down
Food wrapped under the tree
Pets raiding the garbage

🍗 Leave the Leftovers, Be Careful What you Share…

Rich holiday food = big GI problems.

Avoid feeding pets:

Fatty meats & gravies- can lead to digestive upset or pancreatitis
Turkey skin- can lead to digestive upset or pancreatitis
Bones- can be choking or blockage risks
Onion, garlic, and leeks- These foods can be quite toxic and lead to acute kidney failure
Grapes & raisins (fruitcake danger!)- These can lead to kidney failure
Unbaked yeast dough- expands in the stomach leading to painful distention and potential bloat.

Safer Choices to offer in small amounts:

Plain cooked turkey or chicken (no skin, bones, or seasoning)
Plain pumpkin purée
Pet-safe holiday treats (we can recommend some!)

Tip: Remind guests not to feed pets without asking first.

🍷 Careful with Cocktails

Alcohol causes dangerous drops in blood sugar, body temperature, and blood pressure.

🧸 Selecting Safe Holiday Treats and Gifts

Shop at Creekside for Vet Approved safe toys!

Durable chew toys.
Kongs stuffed with pet-safe foods
Lick Mats and Pupsicles by Woof- in stock at Creekside!
Catnip toys
Large balls (too big to swallow)

Avoid:

String toys
Yarn
Small parts

Black Friday Sale Nov 28, Dec 1, and Dec 2 on all our in clinic stock of Woof Products and Supplements. PERFECT gifts for your special pets!

Black Friday Sale!!

🏡 Plan a Pet-Safe Holiday Gathering

Celebrations often mean noise, new people, and extra activity. While these can be fun they can overwhelm some pets, sometimes even the most social reach their limit.

Tip: If your pet gets anxious with visitors or noise, we can help with behavior strategies or calming medications—just ask!

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 House Rules

Watch doors for escape attempts
Let guests know you have pets
If guests want to give pets attention or playtime that’s great! Just make sure it’s safe and supervised.
If pets will be visiting, this is great, but supervision may be needed. The holiday excitement can filter into our pets as well and some may become overwhelmed. This can add unexpected new strain to even well established pet friendships.

💊 Put the Meds Away

Both your medications and guests’ belongings should stay stored safely. All those new smelling coats, purses, and bags can be an exciting find for the pets of your household, so better safe than sorry here!

If your pet ingests a medication, note:

The name
The strength
How much may have been eaten
This helps us assess the risk quickly.

🛌 A Room of Their Own

Some pets need a quiet retreat. This can be a room or a crate away from the noise and people.

Set up:

Water
Comfy bedding
Familiar toys
White noise or calming music
Long-lasting chews (Pupsicles, Lick Mats, etc.)

Stress signals to watch for:Hiding • Panting • Pacing • Dilated pupils • Lip licking • Wide Eyes • Excessive Grooming or Stretching • Snapping • Snarling • Growling

🎉 “After the Party” Hazards

Once guests leave, pets will go exploring.

Be sure to:

Clear tables, watch for misplace plates and have drank drinks
Secure leftovers and bones, be sure these are in pet safe areas
Remove ribbon, string & packaging

🎆 New Year’s Noise

Confetti = intestinal blockage risk
Poppers = scary & painful to sensitive ears
Fireworks = major anxiety trigger

Keep pets indoors in a secure, escape-proof room.

🏷️ Don’t Forget Identification

Make sure your pet has:

A well-fitting collar
Current ID tags
A microchip with up-to-date information
Optional: GPS tracker for escape-prone pets

🏠 When You Leave the House

Cats and dogs can get into surprising trouble in a matter of minutes.

Before stepping out:

Unplug decorations and holiday lights
Ensure trash is secured or taken outside
Keep counter cleared of any tempting items
Make sure pets cannot access hazards while unsupervised

🚗✈️ Holiday Travel with (or without) Your Pet

Whether your pet is coming along or staying behind:

If Traveling WITH Your Pet

Check if a health certificate is needed (usually 10–30 days before travel)- This may be required for both driving or flying. Creekside Vet can get this exam and paperwork prepared for you.
Use a secure harness or carrier. Restraint in vehicles is safest for them and can allow a nervous pet to feel more secure.
Never leave pets alone in vehicles
Pack food, meds, ID, and records

If Boarding Your Dog

Ask Creekside if vaccines are current and get any boosters needed. We like to do these two weeks ahead of time if possible to assure the best immunity for your pet.
Get Bordetella boosters 2 weeks ahead if possible. If this vaccine was done over 6-9 months ago an early booster may be recommended.
Refill meds or calming supplements if needed
Ask your boarding facility about fecal testing or flea/tick prevention requirements. Creekside can help you with these if needed.