Christmas with dogs, cats and co.: Dangers lurk here!

Candles light up, everything sparkles, glitters and smells like Christmas. But as contemplative as the holiday season is for owners and owners, it is unusual and even dangerous for our pets.

Of course, whether Christmas tree baubles and Christmas decorations pose a danger to your protégés always depends on the animal. You know your fluffy favorites best. Are you very curious, like to nibble on things or are you totally hungry? Then some Christmas decorations shouldn't even find their way into the apartment.

But even animals that are normally very calm can suddenly behave differently when faced with many unfamiliar impressions and objects. Always keep a watchful eye on your pets at Christmas time, because dangers lurk everywhere.

Oh, don't the sparkling balls on the Christmas tree look great? It's not just owners who are impressed by the beautiful Christmas tree decorations and winter decorations on the windowsill - pets also find the many new things quite interesting. They play with it, sniff it, lick it or nibble on it. And that can be quite dangerous because if they swallow any parts of it, the evening can quickly end with a visit to the vet.

Also read:

blade
Tinsel makes cat eyes big. It glitters and rustles and it's so wonderful to play with, isn't it? If you have pets, you should avoid the elongated threads altogether. Because most of the time the owners don't even notice when the kitty swallows one of them - and that can be really dangerous. Because of the thread-like foreign bodies, there is a risk of threading the intestines or esophagus. In the worst case scenario, emergency surgery is necessary.

Gift ribbon
Gift ribbon is just as exciting as tinsel for pets, especially cats. And the risk of the colorful ribbon being swallowed is just as great. Under supervision, cat owners are of course welcome to play with the gift ribbon, but afterward it should be stored out of reach.

Christmas decorations
There are little angels or Christmas wooden figures on the window sills. What creates a contemplative mood for us can quickly be swallowed by pets, such as dogs. The most important signs of a swallowed foreign body to look for are gagging, continuous swallowing, wheezing or shortness of breath, vomiting, refusal to eat, and fatigue.

As a pet owner, you always have to keep a close eye on your pet - but you should be particularly careful at the holiday season. You should keep these poisoning risks for pets on your radar this Christmas.

Also interesting:

sweets
Sweets and Christmas simply belong together. Whether cookies, chocolate or dominoes – we love the treats. Unfortunately, some hungry four-legged friends who eat everything that comes into their mouths see it the same way. Therefore, never leave gingerbread etc. lying around openly.

Our beloved chocolate Santa Claus in particular can be fatal to animals. Contained in chocolate is theobromine, which is toxic to dogs and cats. To clarify: The lethal amount of theobromine per kg of a dog's body weight is approximately100 mg. A bar of milk chocolate contains around 200 mg of theobromine per 100 g. For a dog weighing 2 kg, such a board can be fatal.

Plant
They look so wonderfully Christmassy, ​​but they are also very poisonous. We're talking about the popular poinsettia and mistletoe. If you have pets, it's better to use an artificial plant (like these artificial flowers fromAmazon*).

Also read:

Road salt
The danger of poisoning for dogs lurks not only in their own four walls. If it's frosty outside, you should definitely make sure that your four-legged friends don't walk through road salt. Normal salt is not healthy in large quantities, but in some cities road salt is enriched with antifreeze - and this is highly toxic. Clean the paws thoroughly after walking or protect them with dog shoes or a special care balm.

We like to brighten up the dark season with lots of lights and candles. If you have pets, you should be wary of some fire hazards.

Candles
A wagging dog's tail, a climbing cat - it's happened and the candle falls over. Burning Advent wreaths etc. should therefore never be left unattended. Our fluffy four-legged friends can not only burn themselves on the open flames, but can also cause a fire.

Fairy lights
String lights sound like a safer choice, right? There are a few things to consider here too. On the one hand, our protégés can get tangled up in it. Animals that like to nibble on the cables can also cause a cable fire or suffer an electric shock themselves.

Cats in particular like to use the sparkling Christmas tree balls as toys. If the glass balls fall and break, the pet can cut and injure themselves on the sharp-edged shards. Shatterproof Christmas tree decorations are therefore a must for pet owners. The tree becomes even better and more personal if you simply make your own decorations out of paper or felt.

But it's not just the tree decorations, the tree itself can also become a danger. To prevent it from being knocked over by curious cats, it is worth using a heavy Christmas tree stand (here from Amazon*). But make sure that the kitty doesn't drink the water from it. The tree releases resin and essential oils that cats do not tolerate well.