Holiday Pet Safety Tips----5 Answers That Will Keep Pets Safe

The holidays are a wonderful time, but they can be stressful and sometimes even dangerous for pets. Here are answers to 5 questions that will help you and your pet have a wonderful holiday season.

How can I keep guests from sneaking food to my pets? Be direct and ask them not to give any human food. Explain that as tasty as it is for humans it can cause severe problems for your animal. If you feel that this request will have not effect play it safe rather than sorry, and put secure your pets away from the area where guest will be.

Which foods are most harmful? Chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, macadamia nuts, candy, sugar, and foods with high salt content can all be deadly. Consult with your veterinarian about foods that are particularly hazardous for your animal, and then be vigilant about leaving any of these foods out even for a moment.

We learned this the hard way. Our Golden helped himself to a whole cheese ball while we were saying good night to my parents. We thought they had decided to take the cheese ball. When we called to ask, they said they didn't have it.

Then we discovered tell-tale nuts from the outside of the cheese ball in the bottom of his water dish. We were lucky that he didn't swipe the chocolate rum balls instead. Remember, it only takes a moment for tragedy to strike.

What kinds of plants can cause problems during the holidays? Steer clear of poinsettias, holly, lilies, and mistletoe. Pine needles have the potential to puncture the intestines when swallowed. So as much as these plants symbolize the holidays for many of us, your pet's safety should come first.

How should we handle all of the extra cords? You can tape them down, run them behind furniture, or put them under a rug. Running wires through inexpensive plastic tubing that can be bought from the hardware store is also a great way to limit access to pets and young children.

What's the best way to stabilize the tree? Build a wooden box on which to place the tree. Use a tree holder that has flat feet. Put a bolt over each foot of the tree holder and screw it down on both sides of each of the feet.

This will prevent the tree from tipping if Chance (dog) pulls on it, Fluffy (cat) jumps on it, or Rio (bird) sits on it. Anchoring from the ceiling is also possible, but for those who are mechanically challenged this may not be an option.

Being vigilant about what kinds of products you bring into your is the best way to keep your pets safe. The holidays are stressful for people, and for pets as well.

Make sure that you carve out plenty of time to spend with your pet. And regardless of what you celebrate, sharing the love is what it's really all about.