As you and your family gears up for the holidays, it’s very important to try and keep your furry loved ones eating and exercise habits as close to their normal routine as possible.

Holly when ingested, can cause pets to suffer from nausea, vomiting and even diarrhea. Mistletoe cab cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. Many Varieties of lilies can also cause kidney failure in cats if they are to be ingested. It’s a good idea to Opt for a artificial plants made from silk and or plastic, or even choose a pet-safe bouquet to make sure that it can’t harm your pets in anyway.

Due to its sparkly, light-catching design, Cats love Tinsels and that’ a bad thing for them. A small nibble can lead to a swallow, which can then lead to a obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration and even surgery!

By now you know not to feed your pets chocolate and anything sweetened with xylitol, but do you know the lengths to which an enterprising pet will go to chomp on something yummy? Make sure to keep your pets away from the table and unattended plates of food, and be sure to secure the lids on garbage cans.

While it may be fun to dabble in using holiday candles, its always a good idea to not leave a lit candle unattended. Pets may end up burning themselves or even cause a fire if they knock the candles over. Please be sure to use appropriate candle holders and place them on a stable & hard to reach surface (especially for cats). If you happen to leave the room, make sure to put the candle out!

Give your pet his own quiet space to retreat to—complete with fresh water and a place to snuggle. Shy pups and cats might want to hide out under a piece of furniture, in their carrying case or in a separate room away from the hubbub.

If your celebration includes adult holiday beverages, please be sure to place any unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot reach. Unlike us, dogs and cats cannot process alcohol. Intoxicated pets may end up having serious life threatening conditions. They can become weak, ill and many even go into a coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory failure!

While nobody likes extra rules around the holiday its still a necessary to have everyone in the house know the rules. Let your family and friends know when they are over for the holidays to adhere to the “pet rules” of the house. No one knows your pets better then you, so let them know if your dog or cat is scared of “new people” or doesn’t like being around children or even if they don’t like petted in some areas. These rules will help make sure everyone has a happy and safe holiday!

Make sure that all of your medications are locked behind cold doors. This is especially true for guests. Let them know that they too need to secure their medications!

While it might seem like a nice idea to give your pets small bites of food they typically aren’t allowed to eat during the holiday season as a “treat”, It can actually cause some bad side-effects such as upset stomach and diarrhea if they aren’t used to the human food. Instead of human food treats look for pet friendly treats to have on hand so that your pets don’t feel left out during holiday meals. You can also buy them special toys that spill out treats so that they can have fun playing with a toy and be rewarded for it with a snack that’s pet stomach friendly!