My Dog Eats the Christmas Tree

My Dog Eats the Christmas Tree

By nature, dogs are inquisitive animals who love to investigate everything you bring into the home. How do you expect them not to notice the new Christmas tree? If you add to that lights, decorations and a potential place to pee...

A colorful tree appearing in your home can lead to it being urinated on or even being knocked down. But there is an even bigger problem: what if your dog eats the Christmas tree?

You may not be aware of it, but a Christmas tree's pointed leaves could puncture your dog's intestines. Find out how to prevent your dog from eating the Christmas tree in this AnimalWised article for a safe holiday.

Problems that may arise

As discussed above, if your dog eats the Christmas tree it runs the risk of puncturing its intestines with one of the fir tree's long, sharp leaves. Although this is not very common, it could happen.

Another problem that can arise from eating the tree is the risk of poisoning, given that it secretes a sticky toxic substance. That's why Animal Wised is reminding you of first aid for dog poisoning.

In addition to these health problems, a tree that is not fixed down and placed in a good location may pose a risk if the dog plays with it. Depending on the size, if it falls on your dog it could injure it. Do your best to deal with this health and safety hazards.

How to prevent your dog from eating the Christmas tree

Follow these step by step guidelines on how to prevent your dog from eating the Christmas tree:

  1. Before you put bring the tree into your house, first you need to open it and shake it to get rid of any loose leaves. Pick them up and dispose of them accordingly. Throughout the Christmas period, you should regularly check that no leaves end up on the floor.
  2. You should then check the tree trunk to make sure that their is none of the sticky substance that is secreted. If you find some, you should clean it with water in order to remove it.
  3. The third step will be to cover the Christmas tree stand because sometimes pesticides that are toxic for your dog can remain there. If you decide not to cover it, avoid watering the tree so that your dog is not tempted to drink water from it.
  4. Finally, you should make sure your dog cannot access the tree and eat it. You can use baby gates or other obstructions, but the best option is to avoid leaving your dog alone with the tree.

More things you should know this Christmas

At AnimalWised we are concerned about your pet's welfare, especially at Christmas. You should pay special attention during this fun and exciting but stressful period because your dog doesn't know that it could get hurt or poisoned.

If you want to read similar articles to My Dog Eats the Christmas Tree, we recommend you visit our Behavioral problems category.