Are Christmas Trees Poisonous to Dogs?

In this guide

Christmas is celebrated with real enthusiasm across Indian cities, from Christian households with generations of tradition to apartment complexes and malls that put up trees simply for the festive cheer. A tree indoors, however, brings a small cluster of hazards that are easy to overlook amid the decorating.

The tree itself

Real fir and pine trees are only mildly toxic. The needles and sap can irritate a dog's mouth and stomach if chewed, causing drooling, vomiting or mild gastrointestinal upset, and sharp needles can also cause physical injury to the mouth, throat or gut if swallowed in quantity. Artificial trees are generally non-toxic in themselves, but the fine plastic needles can still cause an obstruction if a dog eats enough of them.

Tree water

If your tree stand holds water, be cautious. Standing water can grow bacteria and mould over the days it sits under a tree, and some tree preservative additives contain fertilisers or other chemicals. A dog drinking from the tree stand can develop an upset stomach or, in a worst case, more significant illness depending on what has been added to the water.

Decorations and trimmings

• Tinsel and angel hair: shiny and tempting to chew, these pose a serious risk of intestinal obstruction if swallowed, quite apart from any chemical toxicity
• Glass or fragile ornaments: can cause cuts to the mouth and gut if broken and chewed
• Artificial snow spray: some formulations can be irritating if inhaled or ingested
• Fairy lights and wiring: a chewed wire is both a choking and an electrocution risk
• Edible ornaments, popcorn strings, or décor made from festive sweets: often the biggest draw for a dog, and worth checking ingredients for chocolate, raisins or excessive sugar

Symptoms to watch for

• Vomiting or drooling from chewed needles or sap
• Signs of an intestinal blockage, such as repeated vomiting, not passing stool, or a painful, bloated abdomen, especially after chewing tinsel or ornaments
• Cuts or bleeding in the mouth from broken decorations

What to do

Keep the tree stand water covered or inaccessible, hang tinsel and fragile ornaments higher up out of tail-wagging and nose-height range, and route fairy light wiring away from where your dog rests or plays. If your dog shows signs of a blockage, repeated vomiting, straining without producing stool, lethargy or a hard, painful belly, treat it as an emergency and see a vet promptly, since swallowed decorations sometimes need surgical removal.

Article content © Ravi Teja. All rights reserved.