Pet Safety at Christmas

Many people may not know that Christmas time contains a lot of dangers for your pets. Although the
food, gifts, and decorations are filled with joy for us they are all potential hazards for your furry
friends. It is always important to keep a close eye on your pet at this time of year as you don't want
to spoil the day with a poorly pet. Here at Weldricks we care about the well-being of your furry family
members too so here are a few tips from us to you, on how to keep your pets safe at Christmas. 

Watch their food - 

When it comes to Christmas food is often the focus of the day, but many foods we enjoy are
actually harmful to animals. Be aware when leaving bowls of nuts and chocolates laying around
he house; nuts such as Walnuts, Macadamia nuts, and Pistachios (just to name a few) can be
poisonous.  Chocolates in bright wrappers can be eye-catching for your pets but keep them out of
reach; Chocolate contains an element called Theobromine which is toxic to most pets.

Watch out for your Christmas dinner! Onions, onion powder, mustard seeds, and garlic are
ingredients which may be in your gravy, stuffing, potatoes, or wellington, and all of which are
poisonous to your pets. So, try to avoid giving your pets bits from your dinner plate and stick to feeding
them their own food at regular times. Try to keep both their diet and their routine the same as everyday,
your pets will have enough stress with the general hustle and bustle so allowing them some familiarity
will help in many ways. It is also recommended that you do not give your pets bones from your roast
as these can splinter in your pet's mouth and stomach, causing serious issues.

In general, when it comes to feeding pets try to only give them foods made for them. If you do decided
you want to give your pet a little something extra because it is Christmas try festive themed animal treats,
or make sure to do plenty of research in to what they can and can't have. Do not feed your pets from the
table to avoid them associating it with their food, this way you can try to avoid harmful food being stolen
rom the table, or fed to you pets from unaware dinner guests. 

Decorations - 

People often ask if real Christmas Trees are bad for animals, and while they are not deadly they could be
considered bad for your pets. This doesn't mean that you can't have one though! Keep you pets away from
the tree as much as possible so they do not ingest the oils produced by the tree which can cause them upset
stomachs. It is also vital that you regularly vacuum the needles from your tree (even if it is a fake one) to make
sure that your pet isn't eating them -  these will cause stomach issues too. If you are able to, choose a
non-shedding tree in order to avoid some of the problems that the falling needles cause both in your pet's
stomach, as well as if they stick in paws, noses, or eyes. 

When it comes to decorations you should look to avoid hanging edible decorations as this will not only entice
your pet closer to the tree (and pulling it over could cause them harm), but also these decorations are often
made of chocolate or sugar, which we already know can cause serious problems for pets. Instead, move to
using decorations labelled 'non-toxic' so, if your pet decides to nibble the ornaments you have around your house
then you know they won't be in harm's way. Further to this, ensure that all electrical cables from your fair lights are
tucked out of their way or placed under wire guards; cats and rabbits especially will try to chew on these and we
don't want them getting a shock, nor do we want potential fire hazards at Christmas. 

If you have any gifts under your tree which could contain food (or anything potentially harmful to your pets) try to
move these somewhere out of reach to avoid your pets getting in to them. While they may look nice all spread under
the tree, this picturesque image will soon be gone if you have to deal with poorly pets and destroyed gifts this December. 

Christmas Day - 

Christmas day is an exciting time, but it can be a lot for your pets to deal with as all the talking, laughter, and new faces can
be stressors for your pets. In order to help them feel calm you should look to dedicate a room in which they can escape the
hustle and bustle of the day. Put their bed, crate, blankets, and toys in the room so they can take a snooze during the day
and calm down, if they need to. It would also help to use some of the products available on the market, made to keep your
pets calm. For dogs you could try Adaptil plug in diffuser:

This diffuser is loaded with a dog appeasing pheromone which will help your dogs feel calm and safe on
Christmas day. For cats your could try Feliway: 

A plug-in adapter which can help your feline friend adjust to the changes brought to your home by Christmas.
It can also stop them from feeling the need to scratch or urinate in your home due to the Christmas stress. 

There are many hidden dangers at Christmas time, but don't let these ruin Christmas or harm your animals. If you
would like more information on foods that could be dangerous to your animal then take a look at THIS list. If you
would like more information on how to protect your pets this Christmas then why not take a look at the RSPCA
website HERE. You could also browse our pet ranges to see what could help you, and your furry friends this
festive season.