Holiday Safety Tips: Topic #3 - Christmas Tree Dangers

Christmas Tree Dangers

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How dangerous you can be……

If you are anything like me, I love to trim the tree right after Thanksgiving. This way I can enjoy it as long as possible.  My pets, especially my cats, seem to enjoy the tree just as much as I do.  All those shiny ornaments and draping garland make such great toys.  I have at least one ornament that doesn’t make it to see the next holiday season.  Live tree or artificial, there are several hazards to be aware of with this splendid piece of holiday décor (yes…I love Christmas trees!).

Christmas tree water –

If you have a live tree, this is real hazard.  The water can contain fertilizers which can cause stomach upset.  It is also considered stagnant water and can be a breeding ground for bacteria.  Bacteria can lead to vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea, if ingested. 

Safety suggestions:  1. Use a covered tree base.  2. Switch to an artificial tree.  3.  Keep the tree in a room that your pet is unable/not allowed to enter. 4. Place a pet/baby gate around your tree so you pets are unable to get to tree water. 

Electric cords

Exposed electric cords can look like string and toys to your pets.  If they are chewed this can lead to electrical burns and even electrocution.  Cover cords to help prevent your pet from chewing on them. 

Safety suggestions:  1. Cover the cords with plastic guards (available at most electronic stores).  2. Keep the tree in a room that your pet is unable/not allowed to enter.  3. Place a pet/baby gate around your tree so you pets are unable to get to decorations.  

Ribbon, tinsel, and ornaments

These bright and shiny decorations are very attractive to inquisitive and playful pets.  A cat playing with a piece of tinsel might seem innocent, but this can lead to ingestion of the tinsel, ribbon, or ornament.  Ingesting of any type of decoration can lead to an obstruction (a blockage in the intestine) which requires surgery to correct.  Obstructions can be life threatening.  Glass ingestion (by way of glass decorations and ornaments) can be particularly dangerous due to the possibility of the glass cutting the esophagus and intestines.  Do not allow your pet to play with any decorations. 

Safety suggestions:  1. Keep all breakable ornaments at a high point on your tree out of reach.  2. Switch to shatter proof/plastic ornaments.  3. Place a pet/baby gate around your tree so you pets are unable to get to decorations.  4. Do not use decorations (like tinsel ‘icicles’) that can easily fall off or be removed in small pieces. 

Batteries

These are often found under your tree.  Batteries contain corrosive material.  If a battery is chewed, these corrosive materials can leak out and cause ulceration to the mouth, tongue, and the rest of the gastrointestinal tract.  In addition, there is also a danger of obstruction (a blockage to the intestine) if a battery is swallowed by your pet. 

Safety suggestion:  1. Do not place gifts under the tree until it is time to open them, especially gifts with batteries.  2. Do not leave unopened gifts under the tree.  3. Place a pet/baby gate around your tree so your pets are unable to get to gifts.  4. Keep batteries out of reach of your pets at all times.

Potpourris

The holiday season is one of the most popular times for household fragrances.  Liquid potpourri can be exposed to your pet through direct ingestion from simmer pots or spills, by rubbing against leaky bottles or simmer pots containing the potpourri, or from spilling the containers.  Tissues in the mouth become exposed following one of these events from the pet grooming themselves.  Exposure to potpourri can result in severe damage to their mouth, tongue, skin, and eyes.  With dry potpourris, there is the added risk of possible obstruction (a blockage to the intestine) or toxic plant ingestion.

Safety suggestions:  1. Keep potpourris in a safe location where pets can not nock them down, spill, or disturb them.  2. Use other forms of household fragrances like plug in diffusers or room sprays to fragrance your home over the holidays. 

DO NOT use any scented fragrances if you have birds in your home.

We hope that these tips can help prevent a potentially scary and stressful event for your pet and your family.  The best thing you can do is try and prevent an exposure and be prepared. 

What to do if your pet has been exposed to a holiday hazard:

1. Gather information about the exposure – What, When, How Much
1. What were they exposed to
2. When were they exposed to it
3. If applicable, how much were they exposed to/how much they ingested
2. Call your veterinarian – Have a hospital contact sheet handy
1. Coal Creek Veterinary Hospital – 303-680-2200 (we have FREE hospital magnets for this purpose, please ask for yours today).
3. If it is after hours or a holiday, call your local Pet Emergency Clinic
1. Animal Emergency and Specialty Center - 720-842-5050 (we have FREE magnets for this purpose that include a map, please ask for yours today).
4. Remain calm and follow directions from your veterinarian or pet emergency clinic.

We hope no pet owner ever has to go through a pet being exposed to these hazards.  Please use good judgment and keep your pets in mind when decorating your home this holiday season.

Written by:  Jamie A. Davis, CVPM

Is your pet’s food contaminated with Salmonella?

Is your pet’s food contaminated with Salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacteria that is most often spread through ingestion of food or water contaminated with fecal material.  Salmonella contamination has recently been implicated in pet food recalls and concerns over exposure to pets and humans alike have increased.  Pet food, supplements, and treats may all carry a risk of contamination directly or can be infected by cross contamination in facilities that handle these products.

Illness from Salmonella most often affects the young and old and the immune compromised in both animals and humans, but the bacteria can be carried by apparently healthy individuals.  There are a reported 1.4 million reported cases of salmonella-related illness and 400 related deaths per year in the United States.  To protect both your two-legged and furry family members, it is important to take precautions to avoid exposure or continued contamination by Salmonella bacteria.

Here are some important guidelines from the American Veterinary Medical Association to prevent the spread of Salmonella in your home:

• Avoid feeding raw diets, commercial or homemade, to your pets which can habor the bacteria if precautions are not properly taken during processing, handling, and storage.
• Purchase individually packaged pig ears, rather than buying from bulk bins—more than 50% of pig ears tested from bulk bins have been found to be contaminated with Salmonella. (Note: Coal Creek Veterinary Hospital does not generally recommend pig ears as treats because of the risk of tooth fracture).
• Make sure packaging of pet food products are in good condition and return if they appear tainted, discolored, or smell abnormal.
• Discourage children, the elderly, and immunosuppressed people from handling food and treats.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling pet food, treats, and nutritional products.
• Use a clean scoop to dispense food and regularly wash water and food bowls with hot water in sink other than the kitchen or bathroom to prevent spread of the bacteria.
• Avoid feeding pets in the kitchen.
• Make sure to save the original food packaging materials including date code and product code in case your pet’s food is recalled.

Written by:  Stephanie Kotas, DVM

Daisy's story of what lies beneath.

Meet Daisy.  She is a sweet, 3 year-old Mastiff that had a run-in with the TV on Wednesday.   

One of her family members pulled a sharp object out of her neck that evening and everything seemed to be just fine.  They cleaned the area with some hydrogen peroxide just to be safe.  The next day, her guardians noticed that there was swelling on the left side of her neck, and Daisy just wasn’t acting like herself.  She seemed agitated and her energy was off.  She wasn’t painful when the site was touched, but they were concerned and brought her in for an examination.

To get a closer look, the area was shaved, revealing a small (1/4 inch) puncture wound, and some bruising.  While Daisy was being distracted, Dr. Fein aspirated the area with a needle, and got pinkish, milky fluid.  This pus is characteristic of an abscess.  The skin appeared to be healed, but underneath the skin, bacteria had begun to grow, forming an abscess.  Left untreated, abscesses can cause a fever, making our pets feel under the weather.

Daisy was treated with pain medication and antibiotics.  An incision was made to drain the infected material from the abscess.  The area was flushed with a sterilizing solution until it flushed clear instead of milky pink.  Daisy had a drain placed, to allow the wound to heal from the inside-out, and to prevent the skin from closing over again.  If the skin is allowed to close, another abscess can form.

Here is a picture of the drain that was placed: 

It took her a couple of days for her energy and appetite to return to normal, and we were able to removed the drain 5 days later.  Here is what the area looked like when the drain was removed:

The most important thing was that there was no more infected discharge.

Just 2-3 days later, this is what the area looked like:

 

Daisy made a full and speedy recovery.

Written by: Karyn Fein, DVM