“Tis the season to be jolly…” It’s that time of year again. I’m talking candles, tinsel, holly berries, ornaments, and much more. Be mindful though, holiday travel plans and pet hazards can be quite costly and super scary.

Everywhere I turn, people are getting prepared for the holidays. They’re either, getting out their suitcases…

or pulling out the decorations…

And many of us are doing both…

Check out this Holiday Pet Hazard list from VPI Insurance. I knew some of these were harmful to pets (chocolate, plant poisoning), yet there were also a few I wouldn’t have imagined could potentially cause an emergency visit. For instance: “yeast dough?” I guess since Harley isn’t a “counter surfer” I don’t think about him “snatching and running” however – according to the ASPCA:

Raw bread dough made with live yeast can be hazardous if ingested by dogs. When raw dough is swallowed, the warm, moist environment of the stomach provides an ideal environment for the yeast to multiply, resulting in an expanding mass of dough in the stomach. Expansion of the stomach may be severe enough to decrease blood flow to the stomach wall, resulting in the death of tissue. Additionally, the expanding stomach may press on the diaphragm, resulting in breathing difficulty. Perhaps more importantly, as the yeast multiplies, it produces alcohols that can be absorbed, resulting in alcohol intoxication. Affected dogs may have distended abdomens and show signs such as a lack of coordination, disorientation, stupor and vomiting (or attempts to vomit). In extreme cases, coma or seizures may occur and could lead to death from alcohol intoxication. Dogs showing mild signs should be closely monitored, and dogs with severe abdominal distention or dogs who are so inebriated that they can’t stand up should be monitored by a veterinarian until they recover.

That’s super scary!

Tinsel, Ribbon and other Pretty Things, (I found this out through vetmed) – may be appealing “chew toys” that may make your pet sick.

There is something about those shiny strands of Christmas tree decor, which drives kitties (and some puppies I would imagine) wild. Eating tinsel or other string-like items such as ribbon (often called linear foreign bodies) can cause serious damage to the intestine. One end can get stuck while the rest is pulled into the intestine as it contracts; the contractions may cause the ribbon or tinsel to saw through the intestine. If not caught in time, infection of the belly cavity develops and the prognosis for recovery becomes poor. Pets with linear foreign bodies quickly become ill with signs including vomiting, diarrhea, depression, belly pain and sometimes fever. Surgery is required to remove foreign matter that does not pass out on its own.

OH MY DOODLE!

I continued reading and this one made me gasp – WATER! I’m talking about the water we use in our Christmas tree stands. We’ve got to be careful with those chemicals sometimes recommended to keep our trees fresher longer, as well as potpourri pots. Believe it or not some pets are fascinated and attracted to those festive scents.

So if you’re traveling this holiday season, and taking your furry family member with you..

Be safe, and scan your holiday home carefully making sure it is safe for them. If you are not able to take your pet with you, and you haven’t finalized your plans regarding their temporary holiday home, you may want to check out rover.com

Rover connects dog parents with a nationwide network of dog lovers for hire, offering in-home dog boarding, dog sitting, and dog walking…

Check out Rover’s Holiday Travel infographic to help us navigate both holiday travel plans and doggie demands.

Rover makes it easy for dog parents throughout the U.S. to find sitters who will treat our dogs like family. Rover has 25,000 sitters, and 95% of reviewed stays have received a perfect 5 star rating. There’s complimentary premium insurance for all services booked through Rover, 24/7 customer support and vet consultation, mobile apps, photo sharing, videos of stay highlights, and sitter background checks. If  you’re interested in more information about using Rover’s services or becoming a Rover sitter, visit their website at rover.com.

But whatever your holiday plans may be…

…let’s remember to be proactive and prevent the “dangerous”  mischief!

BEFORE I GO – 

Harley and I would like to thank the Rover team for such a loving and kind gesture honoring our beloved “Leo.” When Rover asked (and I agreed) to write this holiday pet hazard post, I was without words when I later received this email…

Cathy, I talked to my friends at Rover, and we really wanted to find a way to show our condolences for your loss. Leo was an adorable, and I’m sure very special, dog that clearly left this world too soon. That is why we would like to make a monetary donation in his memory. We just hope this little contribution will go forward and help doodles like Leo. I will be in touch soon. In the meantime, please send my birthday wishes to Harley!

All my best, Kelly

The recipient chosen for this donation is Pilot’s and Paws …

This organization is near and dear to my heart because of the selfless work they do for so many animals and of my memories watching Leo running around that airstrip chasing “Wilson” waiting for those planes filled with pups to land.

Let’s stay safe this Holiday season and as always, thank you so very much for sharing me with all your friends!

DISCLAIMER: This post is sponsored in part by Rover.com. Harley and I are being compensated for helping spread the word about Holiday Pet Hazards and Rover.com services, however, all opinions and ideas in this post are my own and are not influenced by any other person or business.Groovy Goldendoodles™ will only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Rover.com is not responsible for the content of this article.

I am joining the Monday Mischief blog hop brought to you by Alfie’s Blog, Snoopy’s Dog Blog, My Brown Newfies.