Travel, houseguests, and the flurry of activity that happens around the holidays can increase the chances for pets to be exposed to dangerous foods, plants, medications, or other household products. Items of concern include: alcoholic beverages, antifreeze, batteries, chocolate, cleaning products, drugs and medications, grapes and raisins, lilies, macadamia nuts, and products containing the artificial sweetener xylitol. For more information, please see Pets & Poison Control: Making Your Home Safer.

In addition, with increased legal access to marijuana and marijuana-infused products for people (both medicinal and recreational), veterinarians are seeing an unfortunate increase in cases of marijuana poisoning in pets. For more information on risks to pets exposed to marijuana, please see Pets on Pot-Just High or Highly Dangerous?

If owners suspect poisoning or notice signs of potential poisoning in their pets, they should call their veterinarian or a pet poison hotline immediately. Emergency veterinary treatment may be needed.

For more information about keeping pets safe around the holidays, including poison risks, precautions for parties, and travel concerns please see the American Veterinary Medical Association's resource: Winter Holiday Pet Safety.