Candy Canes Are Holiday Pet Hazards

There are many holiday hazards which can harm pets. Everything from ornaments to fattening holiday foods such as ham can potentially harm your cat or dog during the Christmas season. What about candy canes though? Do they pose any type of hazards to your cat or dog? Here are some of the things that all pet owners should know about candy canes as holiday hazards for pets.

Candy Canes Pose a Choking Hazard

One of the biggest reasons why you need to be careful with candy canes during the holiday season if you are a pet owner is because they pose a choking hazard. If your dog tries to put a candy cane in his or her mouth, there is a good chance that it may lead to choking. Keep in mind that even though the mini candy canes are smaller in size, they also pose a choking hazard for both dogs and cats.

Candy Cane Plastic Wrap Can be Hazardous

Another one of the concerns with candy canes as a hazard for pets is the plastic that they are wrapped in. A former boyfriend of mine had a dog that would unwrap candy canes and then eat them without choking, but this seems like nothing more than a talented gift for an animal. If your dog or cat doesn't choke on the candy cane itself, he or she may choke on the plastic wrap. Thus, there are several ways in which candy canes can lead to choking.

Candy Canes Aren't Suited for Diabetic Pets

If your dog or cat has diabetes, candy canes can cause the condition to worsen. This happened to a dog who was stealing candy canes off the Christmas tree, according to the Humane Society. Diabetes tends to be more common in older pets, but can affect any dog or cat with a poor diet.

How to Prevent Your Pet From Getting Candy Canes

If you are worried about the holiday hazards for pets which are posed by this Christmas candy, the best thing that you can do is keep candy canes out of the reach of your cat or dog. There are several ways to prevent your dog or cat from getting a candy cane.

1. Put candy canes up higher on the tree. If you decorate your Christmas tree with candy canes, it is important to keep in mind that that when the candy is lower on the tree, there is a greater risk of your dog or cat snatching one.

2. Avoid putting candy canes in bowls in your pet's reach. If you have a coffee table which is a great spot for this Christmas candy, know that it is a possible holiday pet hazard if it is in reach of your dog or cat.

3. Pay attention to your cat's behavior around candy canes. Dogs tend to be more likely to want to get into candy canes than cats. If your cat seems to want to get into them and regularly jumps on the countertop, it may be ideal to consider other places for your candy canes.

Keep in mind that candy canes are only one of the many holiday pet hazards. Be sure to consider other possible hazards when decorating your house for the holiday season.

Source:

Humane Society, "Holiday Pet Care Tips."