Are Christmas Trees Poisonous to Dogs?
As the nights draw in during the winter months, there’s nothing like the glow of twinkly fairy lights on the Christmas tree to help you feel festive and cosy. Transforming your home into a winter wonderland is a lovely way to get in the Christmas spirit, but for dog owners, we know that Christmas decorations may just give your pooch more things to investigate and chew! You may even be wondering if Christmas trees are poisonous to dogs.
From small sprigs of green mistletoe to towering Nordic pines, you may introduce lots of festive plants into your home during the festive period. For dog owners, it’s important to know that while festive trees and plants look pretty, they can be poisonous to dogs.
To help keep your canine happy and healthy throughout Christmas, we’ve put together a helpful guide on what plants to steer clear from.
Are Christmas trees safe for dogs?
Christmas trees are a wonderful addition to the home during the festive period. They are a shining beacon of twinkly lights, cheery decorations, and the perfect place to pile Christmas gifts for your loved ones, perhaps even a Santa sack for your dog filled with toys and treats!
The most common Christmas trees tend to be fir, spruce, or pine; thankfully, these trees are non-toxic to dogs. None of the chemicals in the needles or sap are poisonous to the touch but they can irritate your dog’s mouth and cause an upset tummy if they’re chewed.
Are pine needles poisonous for dogs?
For dogs, the danger with Christmas trees is that while the needles aren’t poisonous, they can get stuck in your dog’s paws, irritate their mouth, and cause an upset tummy if too many are ingested. The sharp needles can also cut the inside of their mouth and throat, ouch!
To help avoid those pesky pine needles, it’s wise to choose a Christmas tree that has a low needle drop, such as the Normann Fir or Norway Spruce. Alternatively, you could save on the sweeping up and stop your curious pooch from ingesting needles by opting for an artificial tree.
The real danger of Christmas trees for dogs
While many Christmas trees aren’t poisonous to dogs, the decorations hanging from their branches can be dangerous. Chocolate decorations and salt-dough ornaments can cause serious issues if eaten, and glass baubles can cut your dog’s paws if they get broken and stepped on.
To make your Christmas tree dog-safe, make sure to keep Christmas decorations out of paws’ reach and avoid hanging up chocolate decorations altogether as they could easily fall off, ready for your pooch to hoover up.
If you’re looking for perfectly personalised decorations full of canine charm, then make sure to check out Yappy’s range of pawsome Christmas decorations. These tree-mendously cute decorations are personalised especially for the furry friend in your life and make a wonderful gift for dog lovers.
Christmas plants that are toxic to dogs
Dogs are curious creatures, happy to sniff and chew anything that takes their interest, without knowing if it’ll cause them harm. While festive blooms are a lovely way to brighten the home, they can be dangerous if consumed by furry family members.
To avoid a trip to the vet, we’ve listed some of the most common Christmas plants that are toxic to dogs:
Mistletoe
You may enjoy a cheeky Christmas kiss under the mistletoe, but you really don’t want your pup getting close to this highly toxic plant. If ingested, your dog may experience sickness, diarrhoea, shock, laboured breathing, and in extreme cases, even death due to cardiovascular collapse.
Poinsettias
During the run-up to Christmas, it’s hard to avoid seeing poinsettias in most shops, and it’s no surprise why – with their iconic red petals, these festive flowers add a gorgeous pop of colour to the home. However, these plants are mildly toxic to dogs and eating their petals can result in drooling, oral pain and vomiting if eaten in large quantities.
Holly
While holly berries are an important food source for our feathered friends, they’re toxic to dogs - so best just save them for the birds! Many varieties of holly berries contain saponins which can result in sickness and diarrhoea if consumed by your pup.
Amaryllis
Like poinsettias, amaryllis are among the best-selling Christmas plants. While these vibrant red plants make a popular Christmas gift, just be wary that they’re poisonous to dogs too. This plant contains phenanthridine, so if your dog eats the stalk, flower, or bulb, they’re likely to experience vomiting, changes in blood pressure, tremors, and seizures.
Ivy
If you’re a dog owner, you may have already heard that ivy is toxic to dogs, perhaps you’ve even had to remove it from your garden! Skin contact with ivy can cause conjunctivitis, rashes, and itchiness. If your dog eats ivy, they’re likely to experience vomiting, diarrhoea, and extreme cases, you may see blood in their vomit or faeces.
What if my dog eats a toxic plant?
When it comes to your beloved dog, it’s better to stay safe than sorry, so if they’ve eaten a toxic plant then contact your vet (or a relevant out-of-hours provider) as soon as possible. Try to identify the plant your pooch has eaten as this will help the vet treat them.
Christmas Gifts by Yappy
Now that we’ve explored the things your dog shouldn’t eat during the Christmas period, let’s focus on something they can safely chomp on – like Yappy’s range of delicious dog treats! You can even keep their treats hidden away in their very own treat tin.
Christmas is the most wagnificent time to spoil your pooch, so why not go all out and get them a new water bowl and food bowl from Yappy? We have a wide range of personalised, colourful options that are pawfect for your pup. You can also set aside a proper place for your dog’s food bowls with their very own feeding mat.
If you’d like to know more about what Yappy offers, don’t hesitate to contact us on help@yappy.com.
