Christmas time - a dangerous time for your pet...?
The coming Advent and Christmas holidays harbor some particular sources of danger for cats and dogs, which you, as an owner, should pay special attention to so that the festive season remains a joyful one.
From the ingestion of foreign bodies, toxic substances and harmful foods to electric shock, burns and stress, the range of harmful influences is extremely broad:
- Ingestion of foreign bodies - the risk of mechanical damage to the gastrointestinal tract
- Tinsel, gift ribbons
- Bones in pieces of meat
- Eating toxic substances - risk of poisoning
- Chocolate
- Raisins
- Plants (poinsettia, mistletoe)
- Birch sugar (chewing gum, sweets, and pastries with the sugar substitute xylitol)
- Spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves)
- Nuts (bitter almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts)
- Alcohol (especially together with chocolate)
- Eating harmful foods - risk of pancreatic and gastrointestinal irritation
- Greasy food from the table
- Chewing on fairy lights - risk of electric shock
- Stress - the risk of emotional overload and anxiety
- Unfamiliar visitors
- Noise
To protect your pet, we recommend that you prevent access to the above sources of danger and set up a quiet zone as a retreat for your pet as a preventative measure. If, despite all precautions, your dog or cat needs medical help during the Christmas period, please do not hesitate to contact your vet or the Tox Center
Institut für Veterinärpharmakologie und -toxikologie
Tel.: +41 (0)44 635 87 78
Internet: https://www.vetpharm.uzh.ch/
Tox Info Suisse
Tel.: 145 (Emergency in Switzerland)
Internet: https://www.toxinfo.ch
