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Christmas Pet Tips

Holiday Hazards: Protect Your Pet

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center

Agent	Typical Species Exposed and Affected	Commonly Observed Signs
Chocolate	Cats, dogs and other small mammals	Vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, tremors and seizures
Yeast dough	Dogs	Drunken appearance, abdominal pain, respiratory depression, cardiac arrest
Macadamia nuts	Dogs	Weakness, vomiting, incoordination, tremors
Raisins and grapes	Dogs and possibly other species	Vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy and kidney failure
Avocado	Dogs, cats, rabbits, goats, cattle, horses and birds	Vomiting, diarrhea, inflammation of the mammary glands in some species, heart and respiratory problems in some species
Coffee	Cats, dogs, small mammals	Vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, tremors and seizures
Alcoholic Beverages	Cats, dogs and other small mammals	Drunken appearance, vomiting, lethargy, respiratory depression
Antifreeze	Cats, dogs, other small mammals, horses, birds, reptiles and livestock	Vomiting, drunken appearance, excessive drinking and urinating, seizures and kidney failure
Liquid potpourris	Cats, dogs, other small mammals and birds	Oral and esophageal burns
Ice melts	Cats, dogs, other small mammals, birds and horses	Vomiting, diarrhea, disorientation and electrolyte imbalances
Electrical cords	Dogs, cats and small mammals	Shock or electrocution
Holiday decorations	Dogs, cats, birds, small mammals and reptiles	Injury to the mouth or gastrointestinal tract and foreign body obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract
Batteries	Dogs, cats and small mammals	Foreign body obstruction and corrosive injury to the mouth and gastrointestinal tract
Human Cough/Cold/Flu medicines	Dogs, cats, birds, small mammals and reptiles	May affect one or more body system, life threatening conditions possible
Easter, stargazer and tiger lilies	Cats	Vomiting, kidney damage and probable death
Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)	Dogs, cats, birds, small mammals and reptiles	Gastrointestinal upset
Mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum)	Dogs, cats, birds, small mammals and reptiles	Gastrointestinal upset, lowered blood pressure, cardiovascular collapse and other variable signs
American holly (Ilex opaca)	Dogs, cats, birds, small mammals and reptiles	Gastrointestinal upset and depression
Christmas tree preservative	Dogs, cats, birds, small mammals and reptiles	Mild gastrointestinal upset
Acorns	Dogs, horses, cattle	Gastrointestinal upset, foreign body obstruction, kidney failure