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Thank you to: Dr Sharon Brandt, who originally posted this info, to be shared, during the Holiday Season.

As the holiday season approaches, life for your (Saint), and other dogs, can get pretty hazardous.  New plants/trees are brought into the home, packages containing all kinds of interesting things are delivered, candies and other goodies abound, and owners are distracted by all the activity.  I've compiled a list of some of the more common hazards of the holiday season, based on calls we get a the National Animal Poison Control Center.  Remember that, in most cases, the severity of the problem caused by these products will depend on the amount ingested and the size and age of the dog.  When in doubt, call your veterinarian or POISON CONTROL CENTER for further information.

Plants:
Christmas trees (firs, cedars, pines):  contain volatile oils that can cause vomiting and diarrhea; needles can cause irritation to the mouth and stomach.

Christmas tree preservatives:  most contain sugar and fertilizer-the sugar will attract the dog and the fertilizer can cause vomiting.

Decorative holly:  can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea and central nervous system depression.

Mistletoe:  depending on the variety, the signs can range from vomiting and diarrhea to heart arrhythmias, difficult breathing, seizures, or coma.

Poinsettia:  rumors of its toxicity have been somewhat exaggerated.  It can cause vomiting and diarrhea, but rarely causes severe problems.

Amaryllis and Christmas cactus: can both cause severe depression, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea if ingested.

Household Items:
Batteries:  if bitten into, the corrosive fluid can cause severe ulcers in the mouth, esophagus and stomach.  Intact batteries pose a foreign body hazard in the GI tract.

Christmas decorations:  most are foreign body hazards rather than true toxicities.
EXCEPTION: ornaments made from homemade play dough can contain high levels of salt.  The NAPCC has had several recent cases where dogs eating homemade play dough have died of salt poisoning.

Potpourri/potpourri oil:  can cause severe burns to the mouth and esophagus. The essential oils can affect the nervous system, causing weakness, incoordination, and hypotension..

Christmas gifts:  perfumes and after-shaves generally contain fairly high levels of alcohol, which can be dangerous to dogs.  Be sure to put up any gifts that you suspect may contain food items such as chocolates, coffee, or macadamia nuts.

Foods:
Chocolate:  dark chocolates, cocoa and chocolate chips are more dangerous than milk chocolate, but even milk chocolate can be deadly in large enough quantities. Chocolate intoxication can result in hyperactivity, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, and life-threatening heart arrhythmias.  The high amounts of fat in most chocolate items can precipitate a bout of pancreatitis in
susceptible animals.

Bread dough:  yeast from homemade bread produces alcohol - ingestion of raw yeast dough can result in serious alcohol intoxication.  Additionally, here is a risk of bloat and gastrointestinal obstruction from the dough as it rises in the stomach.

Coffee and espresso:  caffeine is a no-no for dogs, as it acts as a stimulant and can cause severe heart acceleration and seizures.

Macadamia nuts:  can cause increased body temperature, muscle stiffness, increased heart rate and tremors.

Alcohol:  serious intoxications have occurred when dogs have been given alcohol to drink as a "joke".  Also, dogs seem to be attracted to alcoholic drinks, so drinks should not be left unattended.

Possible Grapes/Rasin Hazard?

This list is by no means all-inclusive, but hopefully it will help you make your home a safer place during the holidays.  Just because your Saint (or dog) is normally a "good dog" doesn't mean that he/she won't succumb to temptation and get into something harmful. One of the most common comments we get from pet owners as they call for advice on poisonings is "but he's never bothered that before!"

Dr Sharon Brandt, ASPCA Animal Poison Control 
888-4ANI-HELP       888-426-4435

Toxins, Poisons & Other Hazards

Author: Katherine James

Published on: June 25, 1998

Keeping your pet safe from poisonous insects, animals, plants and other environmental and home hazards requires a mix of education, common sense, and planning ahead.

The first step is to "pet proof" the house and yard, just like you might for a toddler; pets are often just as clever at getting into things they shouldn't. Make sure that all chemicals, medications, food, "toys" that aren't, and garbage are out of reach of your pet. Dogs are notorious for eating things that smell good or look like toys but aren't. Every year we remove countless nylons, peach pitts, corn cobs, coins, diapers, super balls, and many other items from the stomachs and intestines of dogs. For cats the worst culprit seems to be strings and other similar materials, which get caught under the tongue despite being swallowed and cause the intestine to scrunch into a little ball trying to move the string through the intestinal tract.

Ethylene glycol (found in antifreeze) is a particulary dangerous household poison. It tastes sweet and ingestion of even a very small amount can cause acute kidney failure and death in dogs and cats. You can visit the Pet Health Initiative site for additional information on antifreeze poisoning. There is an antidote for ethylene glycol toxicity (dogs only) but to be maximally effective it must be given within a few hours of ingestion. You can read more about Antizole, an antidote for ethylene glycol toxicity courtesy of the drug's manufacturer. Unfortunately, for those dogs already in kidney failure, the antidote is ineffective; and a prolonged hospital stay will be required for recovery.

There are two main types of rodenticides that are toxic to animals. Anti-coagulant rodenticides are more common. They interfer with the activation of several factors in the clotting system and the poisoned animal can bleed to death. Good information on anticoagulant rodenticide intoxication is available at the Cornell University Veterinary School site. The other type of rat and mouse poisons that cause toxicities in dogs and cats are vitamin D rodenticides. Large quantities of vitamin D cause massive increases in the blood calcium and kidney failure.

A number of outdoor plants and house plants are toxic to animals. Many plants are just gastrointestinal irritants and cause vomiting. Others are far more dangerous. One example is the Easter Lily, which can cause severe and often fatal kidney failure. The following internet sites have information on poisonous plants.

Garden and Plant Poison Newsletter

Medicinal and Poisonous Plant Databases

Poisonous Plant Database

Toxic Plants and Foods courtesy of Dr. Bob

Over-the-counter and prescription drugs intended for humans should not be used in dogs or cats except upon the advice of that pet's veterinarian. Some drugs that humans use routinely are highly toxic in pets. One example is acetominophen (Tylenol), which is highly toxic in cats. The drug damages feline hemoglobin rendering it incapable of carrying oxygen.

Inappropriate use of flea and tick products was once a relatively common cause of toxicity in dogs and cats. With the advent on newer generation products (eg. Advantage, Frontline, Program) organophosphates and other insecticides are used less commonly. Information on toxicities assoicated with flea products in cats is available from CFA.

The last step in "pet proofing" your house is to ensure that you have the telephone numbers for your veterinarian, emergency clinic, and local poison control center readily available. There is a list of Poison Control Centers available on the Web. The ASPCA's National Animal Poison Control Center also has a web site that includes their 800 number for emergency cases.