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Keep Fido Safe This Valentine’s Day

February 1, 2019

It will only be a few short weeks until you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with that special someone. Will your pet be included in the festivities? Use these tips from your Hudson Valley, NY veterinarian to make sure your pet stays safe this Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate and Candy

Chocolate and candy are found in abundance around this holiday, and they’re both quite dangerous for your furry friend. Chocolate of any type—milk, dark, semi-sweet, baking chocolate, powdered chocolate, etc.—contains caffeine and theobromine, chemicals that can poison our pets. Candies, as well as certain sugarless gums, toothpaste, and other products, can be sweetened with an artificial sugar called xylitol. Xylitol can poison pets in very small doses, leading to symptoms like drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and worse.

Keep your pet away from that box of chocolates, and store all sweet treats in closed containers or cabinets where pets can’t reach.

Candles

Lighting candles to set a romantic holiday atmosphere? It’s always best to put candles in areas where pets won’t go. It’s easy for pets to swipe a tail or paw through an open flame, startling themselves and potentially knocking over candles. Plus, the hot wax could burn your four-legged friend.

Dangerous Plants

Lilies are common around Valentine’s Day, often included in bouquets and floral arrangements. Did you know that lilies are dangerous for our pets? They’re highly toxic to cats, and could harm dogs as well. Toxic varieties include the tiger lily, day lily, Asiatic and Japanese lily, Lily of the Valley, and others, but it’s safest to keep your pet away from all kinds. Check any flowers in your home this holiday to make sure you’re not harboring something harmful.

Roses, of course, are the quintessential Valentine’s Day flower. They’re not toxic for pets, exactly, but their sharp thorns can cause trouble if your pet gets their paws on them. Keep Fido and Fluffy away!

Alcohol

Will your festive celebrations include alcoholic beverages? Remember to keep an eye on all drinks, because alcohol and our furry friends don’t mix. Alcohol affects pets in the same way it affects us; the difference is that a pet can be poisoned after ingesting only a small amount. Don’t leave drinks unattended, and never give your pet alcohol on purpose.

Would you like even more tips for keeping your pet safe as Valentine’s Day approaches? Contact your Hudson Valley, NY animal hospital today.