The end of year celebrations are conducive to good meals and it is common to receive guests. There is also the traditional Christmas tree and many decorations. These are ideal times to spend time with family and enjoy. In the family, there are also often animals, which we want to spoil like everyone else. But be careful, because everything is not good for them. You have to be careful because certain errors could have serious consequences. THE Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine published a study on good practices to adopt during the holidays for pets.
Be careful with food given to animals
We often say that to please our cat or dog, we can give them some leftovers from our Christmas plates, but that is not a very good idea.
Chocolate
Everyone knows, chocolate is one of the worst products for cats and dogs. A large consumption of chocolate can be very toxic for them so it is absolutely necessary to avoid their ingestion. So be careful of plates lying around or logs left on the table at the end of the meal. These little tricksters will only need a few seconds to consume it.
Grapes
At the time of the cheese platter or for dessert, grapes are often part of festive dishes because they bring freshness, among other things. But above all, do not give it to cats and dogs because they “can cause kidney problems“, indicates the study.
Fat food
After having almost finished your plate of capon with a good sauce or roast, you might be tempted to offer it to the cat or dog so that he can enjoy it. Don’t do it. Fatty products can cause pancreatitis.
Onions, chives, garlic and yeast
Humans generally digest them very well, but cats and dogs do not. Onions, chives, garlic and yeast, which make up many dishes, should be avoided for our little furballs.
Be careful with Christmas decorations
For Christmas, many families decorate their homes. Besides the tree, there are also a whole bunch of decorations and little lights that can be bad for cats and dogs.
Fir
Buying and then decorating the Christmas tree is part of the traditions. However, certain elements of the tree can be very harmful to cats and dogs. They are usually attracted to thorns, which fall off naturally. You must therefore be very careful that they do not ingest them to avoid any difficulty: the thorns will harm their stomach. Also make sure that the tree is stable because these curious little ones like to paw or pull on it. Also pay attention that the balls are well hung and ideally high.
Garlands, decorations and lights
If you have decorated your home with garlands for example, make sure they are high up. Cats and dogs, especially young ones, will be attracted to all these elements. Electric garlands represent a danger, especially if they are plugged in, because if they chew on them, they could have unpleasant surprises. Also, small elements of garlands or decorations can come loose and be ingested by cats and dogs, so make sure everything is unplugged before going to sleep and pay attention to all these elements when you are not in the same room. piece.
Gift wrap and other packaging
We are also adding a warning regarding Christmas gift wrapping. Torn into small pieces, wrapping paper can be dangerous if ingested by your pet. The same goes for the bolduc, the raffia as well as the other types of ties and decorative elements on the packages. So be sure to put them in a bag or set them aside after unpacking.