Holiday foods and decorations toxic to dogs and cats
Holidays bring guests, unusual foods, and new decorations - a perfect storm for pet toxin emergencies. ASPCA poison control calls spike 20-50% around major holidays. This guide covers what to watch for at each one.
Thanksgiving
NovemberTurkey bones, onion in stuffing, grapes on cheese boards, alcohol in desserts. The busiest day of the year for ASPCA poison control.
Top risks
Christmas
DecemberChocolate, poinsettias, mistletoe, lilies in bouquets, mulled wine, Christmas cake with raisins. Trees and tinsel present additional hazards.
Top risks
Easter
AprilEaster chocolate (especially dark), xylitol in sugar-free chocolate, hot cross buns with raisins, and Easter lilies - the most dangerous gift plant for cats.
Top risks
Halloween
OctoberXylitol in sugar-free candy, chocolate, raisins in trick-or-treat boxes, glow sticks (the liquid), decorative corn on the cob (not the candy kind - obstruction risk).
Top risks
Pre-holiday checklist: walk through before guests arrive
- -Move chocolate and candy to a locked or high cabinet before guests bring gifts.
- -Check bouquet and flower delivery for lilies if you have cats - return immediately if present.
- -Secure the bin / rubbish - turkey and chicken bones, grape stems, and food wrappers go in.
- -Tell guests not to feed pets from the table, no matter how much they beg.
- -Keep alcohol out of reach - pets find spilled glasses on the floor.
- -Check sugar-free products (gum, candy, sugar-free desserts) for xylitol before the event.
- -Save the ASPCA number (888-426-4435) in your phone before the gathering.