Press Release: Deck The Halls, But Do It Safely!

ASPCA's Pet Poison Prevention Tips For the Holiday Season

Urbana, Ill., November 27, 2006—There’s nothing better than gathering with friends and family for the holidays; eating, drinking, and putting up festive decorations. While enjoying this time of year, it is important to remember the potential hazards that certain goodies and décor can pose to our furry, feathered or scaly companions. To keep pets happy and healthy during the holiday season, The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is offering pet owners the following helpful hints:

- Holiday sweets with chocolate are not for pets. Depending on the dose ingested, chocolate (bakers, semi sweet, milk and dark) can be potentially poisonous to many animals. In general, the less sweet the chocolate, the more toxic it could be. In fact, unsweetened baking chocolate contains almost seven times more theobromine (a substance similar to caffeine) as milk chocolate. Vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity and increased thirst, urination and heart rate can be seen with the ingestion of as little as 1/4 ounce of baking chocolate by a 10-pound dog.

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