Pet Skin Doctor

Cats love to climb Christmas trees!  Dogs love to eat ornaments off Christmas trees!  As wonderful as the holidays are (and as cute as these critters are being bad) our primary concern during the holidays is every one’s safety!  Pets just can’t help themselves, they are attracted to the holiday decor that surrounds them.  It was actually during the holiday season that we discovered our indoor cat Rufus was allergic to the outdoors!  We had decided to pick out a real Christmas tree that year and nearly overnight our poor Rufus began displaying signs of cat skin conditions.

Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for many pet owner’s, this is not the typical problem that comes of having a real tree and pets that can’t help themselves.  One year our dog, CG, a lab/collie mix, knocked over the entire 6 foot tree while trying to sniff under it!  I came across a very helpful holiday blog that offered a few pointers for defending your tree against your beloved critters:  Avoid tinsel, plastic or wooden balls are better than glass, block the tree’s watering pan from little tongues drinking the sticky water that can make them sick, invest in a large, sturdy tree stand, spray light cords with bitter apple to discourage chewing, unplug the lights when not in use, clean up fallen needles regularly and lastly, don’t decorate with edible ornaments.  Happy Holidays!