With the holiday season here there are some safety tips for pet owners to keep in mind.

Dr. Christy Fields with Companion Veterinary Clinic of Greene County says tinsel and ribbons attract cats which can also be problematic.

“And a long string can cause what’s called a linear foreign body, where it can actually get trapped in the intestines and cause severe symptoms, which would require surgery to try and repair that, if possible.” 

Dr. Fields points out another hazard is pets eating a certain kind of homemade ornament.

“The ornaments that children make in preschool and daycare centers that are made out of salt dough can be toxic. Dogs specifically like to eat those off the Christmas tree and if they eat enough they can actually get salt toxicity.”    

Dr. Fields recommends keeping tinsel, ribbons and salt-dough ornaments high enough on Christmas trees that pets won’t bother with them. 

She adds for dog owners to be aware of sugar-free items in the home that contain xylitol because that is toxic to canines.