Did you know that some plants and greenery often used to decorate the home during the holiday season can be dangerous to your dogs and cats?
Let’s take a look at some of them
Poinsettias – Mildly toxic
Holly – Highly toxic
Mistletoe – Moderately toxic
Christmas trees – Toxic and dangerous to ingest
Christmas Cactus – Not toxic
Poinsettias 
have long been thought to be highly toxic, but that isn’t actually the case. They can, however, cause vomiting and diarrhea, so it’s best to keep them out of your pet’s reach. There is no antidote to the poison in this plant, so if your pooch does take a nibble, a trip to the vet won’t be necessary.
Holly is highly recognizable by it’s spiky green leaves and red berries. Often used as decoration on mantels and in wreaths, it is something you definitely want to keep away from the dog. Even in small doses, it can cause a lot of damage. It is highly poisonous and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Additionally, the plant contains caffeine, which cannot be digested by dogs and cats.
Here are some of the signs of poisoning in dogs. If you think your dog has been sampling the holly and you notice any of these signs, get him to the veterinarian immediately,
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Blood in stool
- Seizures or tremors
- Lethargy
- Bruising
- Loss of appetite
- Nosebleeds
- Inability to urinate
- Irregular heartbeat
While mistletoe might bring on a romantic atmosphere for us humans, it’s not likely to start a love affair with your dog. Sometimes mistletoe gets a dog’s or cat’s attention because of the tiny white balls or berries. While ingesting the is not likely to be fatal, it can cause the dog to feel crappy.
Common mistletoe, or European mistletoe, is the kind we see most frequently. It contains a protein called viscumin that inhibits the animals natural protein synthesis process. American mistletoe has poisonous berries that lower the animal’s blood pressure and cause serious digestive issues.
Christmas trees can be dangerous to animals in several ways.
First, they can cause the tree to topple over. This not only can injure the dog, but you could end up losing some cherished heirloom decorations or see other damage in your house.
Also, the fir needles of a fresh tree can perforate an animal’s intestines if they are ingested. This is something that can be fatal at worst or quite expensive if caught in time.
It’s also dangerous if your dog eats any of the bark of the tree and swallows some of the sap. Drinking the water used to keep a live tree fresh isn’t a good idea either. If either of these happen, refer to your list of poisoning symptoms and go to the vet’s office.
Here are some ways to help make your tree safer.
- Before you take it in the house, shake the tree well to remove any dead needles. Then check it frequently for any that have fallen and are lying on the floor waiting for someone to come along, pick them up and take a bite.
- If you see any sap around the trunk, clean it off before putting the tree in its stand. Water will get it off just fine.
- Cover the stand to keep the animals out of the water. Remember, this water could contain more than just water. Any pesticides used on the tree can get into the water. These could be highly poisonous.
- Finally, the best way to keep your dog safe from the tree is to be sure he is never left alone with it and when he is with you enjoying the decorations of the season, keep an eye open to what he’s doing. It could save a lot of heartache in the end.
Finally, if you have any reason to believe your pet may have ingested something poisonous, get him to the veterinarian immediately.
If you want more information on items that are toxic to pets, check out petpoisoncontrol.com
