Holiday Cheer

My dog Fergus is going to experience his first Christmas this year.  My other two are veteran gift-unwrappers.  Fergus has never seen a Christmas tree before, and it is now his favorite toy.  In our house, we have two trees, one upstairs and one downstairs, and Fergus is mesmirized by the smaller tree upstairs. We decorated the tree with care, taking great pride in even how the garland lay.  After trying to figure out exactly what his family was so focused on, Fergus realized that the Christmas tree was in reality a colored-ball holder.  There, hanging from almost every branch, was a perfect globe that fit easily into his mouth.  For days, we had been scolding Fergus as we caught him with ornaments (still on the tree) in his mouth.  Last Wednesday, Fergus was left alone with the toy-holding tree, and he seized his opportunity.  When I came home, I found Hunter, our oldest dog, with a pinecone that had previously been hanging from the tree.  By deductive reasoning, we assumed Fergus had pulled the ornaments off.  After finding four more pinecone skeletons in the backyard, we began to sadly put away the ornaments.  About five minutes later, we realized one little glass ornament was missing.  Using some more deductive reasoning, we came to the horrifying conclusion that Fergus had eaten the glass ornament.

The holidays are fraught with peril for pets of all kinds.  Tinsel on your tree will obstruct your cat or dog's intenstines as well as cutting the intestinal lining.  An ornament swallowed whole will most likely cause vomiting, but a glass ornament that is chewed and then swallowed will result in an emergency room visit.  This website has wonderful advice for pets of all kinds. http://www.animalliberationfront.com/Practical/Pets/PetsAtTheHolidays.htm

This was our worst fear for Fergus as we scoured the backyard for any sign that he hadn't eaten the ornament.  Upon finding no evidence, the vetrinarian was called and delivered the distressing news that if Fergus had indeed eaten the ornament whole, he would have been vomiting by that point.  She left us with the uplifting advice of watching his appetite, and if he seemed uninterested and lethargic, to bring him in right away.

Fergus is not the only pet who has ever tried to become involved in the holidays.  His brother, who lives in Georgia, pulled an entire branch off a Christmas tree.  Cats are notorious for eating tinsel.  This holiday, make your house pet friendly.  Candles, ornaments, garland and tinsel, and even holiday food can be harmful to your furry friend.  Make sure your pet is getting girfts on Christmas rather than becoming another Christmas casualty.

Fergus had apparently been playing with his ornament by batting it around on our deck with his paws.  Happily, he dropped it off the edge of the deck and couldn't get to it.  The relief that comes with knowing your friend is safe is indescriable.  Recently, Fergus has knocked over the upstairs Christmas tree for no apparent reason.

Deck the halls with boughs of dog-safe holly.