Protect your pets this holiday season with these tips from our Sarasota veterinarians. The holidays present a number of dangers to pets. Follow this friendly advice from Bee Ridge Veterinary clinic in Sarasota, Florida when preparing for the upcoming holidays.

Before the holiday season starts, schedule a wellcare appointment with our vets to make sure your pet starts off healthy. Our animal clinic offers dog boarding to keep your puppy safe during the holidays.

Be Careful With Plants

If you celebrate Christmas and get a real tree to decorate your house, be sure to pet-proof it. Don't get a tree that is too large for your house or susceptible to tipping over. Securely anchor your tree so that an excited dog or cat cannot knock it over. Keep an eye on the water used under the tree as well.

Unless you get a tree that was raised organically, it can leech pesticides and other chemicals into the water in the tree stand. If you pet drinks the water, she can become very sick. The water in a tree stand may also have bacteria growing in it, which can also make your pet sick. Change the water often and put a barrier around the tree stand so that your pet won't take a drink.

Other common holiday plants are poisonous to pets. Holly and mistletoe will cause your pet to suffer tummy trouble if she eats them. Look for artificial plants to decorate your home without endangering your pets.

Look Out for Other Decorations

Lit candles, holiday lights, and tinsel all present dangers to your pet and may result in a visit to our animal clinic, especially if your pet chews on them. Since we prefer to see your pets for wellcare and preventative care, we advise doing what you can to keep the decorations out of your pets way.

While candles are lovely, an excited puppy can knock them over, causing harm to herself and possibly a house fire. Skip the lit candles and use electric, cordless ones instead.

How do you pet-proof your holidays?