You probably already know that mistletoe and holly are poisonous to your pets but what about the water in the Christmas tree stand? Well, that’s not really safe either. The toxicity of these plants depends on how much your pet ingests.
Should your pet ingest the oils in the water from the Christmas tree it can cause mouth irritation, vomiting and/or excessive drooling. The needles from the tree are not easily digested and can result in vomiting, GI irritation or possible obstruction. Who knows what kind of pesticides were used on the tree before arriving at your home?
Artificial trees are a safer option, but if your pet ingests the needles from that you may have to be concerned about any toxins in the artificial needles.
In either case, be sure to sweep up or vacuum the fallen needles regularly.
Tinsel is another beautiful thing that can be deadly to your cats if ingested. Cats are fascinated with tinsel and like to chew on it. Only tinsel will not break down in the digestive tract and can get caught in their intestines and literally kill them.
How do you keep your pet out of the water?
Cover the tree stand with aluminum foil or tie a plastic bag around it. You could also try the SSSCAT Cat Training Aid by putting it at the base of the tree. Whenever the cat gets near they will get a blast of compressed air.
Of course, Purrfect Pet Sitting will be happy to water the Christmas tree for you while you’re away. All you have to do is ask!
Please keep your pets safe this holiday season!
My 9 month old German Shepherd started vomiting clear liquid with bowel smell. The last time he vomited it was dark brown with bits of bowel and quite a large amount, but he was active wanting to play afterwards. Then I took him out to use the bathroom and he had slight diarrhea & I couldn’t figure out why he was throwing up. I asked my kids and they told me he has been throwing up clear stuff all this week and hadn’t told me he was drinking water from our live Christmas Tree , which has been the reason he was excessive vomiting in the middle of the night today.
Oh no! I hope you covered the water so he can’t get into it. Aluminum foil works well. Hope he is back to normal now!