What Not To Eat: Holiday Pet Edition

The time for feasting is upon us, but for your pet, all the world should not be a holiday buffet. VPI, the largest pet insurance provider in the United States, recently released a list of the 10 most common holiday-related pet medical conditions -- and their causes. See the full list here. Even a casual look reveals a trend: in the words of VPI's cheif medical officer, "Whether it's holiday food or decorations, pets have a knack for ingesting foreign objects."

Photo by Nick Bair, flickr

Here's a handy list of what to keep out of mouth's reach this holiday season:

• bones from holiday meats
• chocolate and other caffeinated products
• fatty "people food" like roasts, gravy, and nuts
• plants like holly and mistletoe
• ribbon
• small gifts
• Christmas tree decorations, including tinsel

Photo by Nils Geylen, flickr

Ailments resulting from ingesting these substances range from simple diarrhea to the need for surgery to remove a foreign body from the digestive system. Avoid the trouble by keeping the listed items out of your pet's reach this holiday season.

Source: KHOU