PDSA warn about Christmas decorations after saving a family pet following a festive fiasco

A charity vet from PDSA has issued a Christmas warning after a family dog got her paws on festive decorations and ended up needing emergency care.

The first week in December is a popular time for Christmas trees, decorations and bright lights to go up around the house – and while they help make our homes feel festive, many decorations can be a hazard when left in paws’ reach.

PDSA Vet Nurse Shauna Walsh explains: “Glittering lights, nibble worthy wires, dangling baubles and tall Christmas trees can be very tempting for our pets. Our four-legged friends like to explore with their mouths, so they can easily accidently swallow something they shouldn’t such as small decorations, tinsel or fairy lights, leading to the risk of a serious blockage in your pet’s stomach or intestines (guts).

“It’s best to keep your pet out of harm’s way while you decorate, just in case they think it’s time to play. And once the decorations are up, it’s important that owners make sure they, along with any potentially toxic festive foods, are safely out of curious paws’ reach.”

A two-year-old Bulldog from Liverpool needed life-saving surgery after getting her paws on decorations off the Christmas tree.

Rita’s chances of survival looked poor after the curious canine chewed – and swallowed – baubles, tinsel and lights off the family’s Christmas tree. But following a life-saving operation, and thanks to the skills of the vet team at Kirkdale PDSA Pet Hospital, Rita miraculously survived her ordeal and was back home just in time for Christmas.

Her owner, Clare Clayton (40), said: “I knew something was wrong with Rita, she was off her food and kept being sick, much quieter than usual and just not herself. I took her to PDSA and after an x-ray, the team said there was something causing a blockage – and we realised she’d swallowed something. I couldn’t believe it!”

Clare lives in Bolton with her partner Anthony (40), her little boy Jude (5), and her two dogs Rita and Fifi, an 18-month-old Pomeranian.

“I don’t know what I would have done without the kind and caring staff at PDSA – they were amazing,” she added. “They were so quick to see Rita, while making us feel calm and comfortable. Rita gets anxious at the vets but PDSA were so good with her.

“If it hadn’t been for the charity, I don’t know what would have happened to Rita. It’s been a really hard few years, and I’m not sure we would have been able to afford surgery at a private vet.”

Clare works part time in a dry cleaners while her son Jude is at school. She lives with her partner Anthony who is off work due to an accident, which left him needing a metal plate in his hand.

Rita’s life-saving treatment cost PDSA over £1,160, only possible due to the public’s kind donations, as PDSA doesn’t receive any government funding.

Every day across its 48 Pet Hospitals, PDSA protects the special bond between owners and their four-legged friends. The teams provide veterinary care to sick and injured pets whose owners otherwise couldn’t afford to pay the full cost of treatment. The charity has been keeping people and pets together for over a hundred years. Find out more: pdsa.org.uk/learn-why-were-special

Clare is now helping PDSA warn other pet owners about the potential dangers of festive decorations.

Shauna added: “Christmas is a fun and exciting time of year, but it’s also full of dangers for our four-legged friends. It’s important that owners make sure decorations and toxic festive foods are safe from curious paws, as they can be incredibly harmful to our pets. Flashing lights and sparkly decorations are attractive to our pets, who naturally explore with their mouths – which can lead to disastrous consequences.

“Keep an eye out for signs including vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, shaking and restlessness. It’s best to contact the vet as soon as you think your pet has eaten something they shouldn’t, rather than waiting for symptoms.”

You can help save pets like Rita by supporting PDSA’s vital work keeping people and pets together this Christmas. Our dedicated vet teams see 10 pets every single minute*, but we don’t receive any government funding, relying only on generous public support. Donate and save pets’ lives: pdsa.org.uk/together-this-winter

*Based on figures from 2022.