Tips to Have a “Pawsitively” Pet Safe Holiday

December 7, 2018

The holidays have arrived for the year, bringing decorations, gifts, food, and holiday gatherings. As much as we enjoy holiday traditions, these celebrations pose a variety of potential hazards for pets. Dr. Suma Rao, Purdue Veterinary Medicine clinical assistant professor of small animal community practice in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, provides the following tips on how to keep pets safe during the holidays.

Holiday Plants:

  • As we enjoy our annual pick of holiday plants, we must take into account that our pets may see them as an evening snack. “Poinsettia plants, mistletoe, holly, and Christmas cactus are toxic to animals when ingested,” Dr. Rao cautions.
  • For pet owners who choose to decorate with a live Christmas tree, Dr. Rao explains that Christmas tree water is toxic when fertilizer is used.

Decorations:

  • Tinsel and ribbon are tempting play objects for cats, but Dr. Rao warns they can cause a blockage if ingested.
  • Lighted candles around the house can be knocked over by pets and pose a fire hazard.
  • As we put up decorations that use electricity, Dr. Rao points out it’s important to remember that dogs and cats are tempted to chew on electrical cords, which can cause burns, seizures, and even death.

Food:

  • Another big part of holiday celebrations is food. Dr. Rao reminds pet owners, “Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is toxic to animals.” She also points out that Macadamia nuts can cause renal disease in dogs, and sugar-free products containing xylitol are toxic to animals.
  • Dr. Rao also cautions, “Do not feed high fat foods or bones to pets. They could cause gastroenteritis, pancreatitis, and/or blockage.”

Environment:

  • When the weather outside is frightful, Dr. Rao points out that salt on roads and sidewalks can be caustic to pet’s paw pads. Be sure to wipe their feet after a walk.

Stress:

  • “Holidays can be stressful to pets due to the high volume of visitors, loud noises, and parties,” Dr. Rao explains. “Try to keep your pets’ daily routine as close to normal as possible.  Let them do their normal activities that they are used to, in order to help reduce stress.”

With the help of these tips, Dr. Rao says both people and pets can enjoy a safe and happy holiday season.  If a pet does get sick or injured during the holidays, the Purdue University Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s animal emergency service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  For emergencies, call 765-494-1107.

Writer(s): Amanda McCormick, PVM Communications Intern | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

The Wellness Committee would like to extend a heartfelt Paws Up to Laurie Marsh, who is a supervisor for the Emergency Critical Care & Small Animal Reception team.

Purdue VBMA Club Hosts Picture-perfect Activity

When veterinary students in the Purdue Chapter of the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) were looking for a new event to host as a student organization, an intriguing idea came to mind that was easy to “picture” as a perfect success!  So the club set out to plan the activity in order to meet an important need of the club members while also providing a fun chance for the students to get keepsake images of their furry study buddies.

PVM Faculty Legends Honored at 25th Annual Healing Oasis Wellness Center Conference 

The theme “Knowledge – Like a Precious Metal, is PRICELESS,” proved especially appropriate for the 25th anniversary of the annual Healing Oasis Wellness Center Conference spearheaded by a Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumnus, Dr. Pedro Rivera.  That’s because the conference, held at the end of 2025 at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois, gave special recognition to legendary Purdue Veterinary Medicine educators Kathy Salisbury and Ron Hullinger.

How the Brain Recognizes What It’s Seen Before and Why It Matters for Autism Research

When you walk into a familiar place — your kitchen, a classroom, or your neighborhood — your brain instantly starts matching what you see with memories of past experiences. A new study from Purdue University reveals a key piece of how that recognition process works, and why it may be disrupted in conditions such as Fragile X syndrome, a leading inherited cause of autism.

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

Today we are recognizing Chloe Morris, RVT, who is a veterinary technologist in Anesthesiology in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.

Partnership to make Purdue Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning program available to employees at more than 1,000 general practice veterinary hospitals

Already Purdue’s largest online program, the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning program is partnering with National Veterinary Associates General Practice to offer the VNDL program to technicians at NVA’s more than 1,000 general practice veterinary hospitals.

PVM Distinguished Professor Suresh Mittal to Speak at Purdue’s Westwood Lecture Series

The Westwood Lecture Series is part of Purdue President Mung Chiang’s efforts aimed at enhancing the intellectual vibrancy of the Purdue West Lafayette campus, and the next featured speaker is Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Distinguished Professor of Virology, Dr. Suresh Mittal. His presentation entitled, “Universal Influenza Vaccine — An Aspiration or Reality?” is scheduled for January 28, and registration for the lecture is now open.

PVM Concludes 2024 with Recognition of Service Anniversaries and Award-winning Staff

As 2024 came to a close at Purdue University, the College of Veterinary Medicine continued a long-standing tradition of celebrating staff service anniversaries and recognizing staff and faculty accomplishments at the Staff Service Recognition Ceremony. Held in Lynn 1136 on Wednesday, December 18, the ceremony honored more than 70 PVM personnel.