All copy rights are held by the author and any reproduction of this material in whole or in part must have the authors approval. During the holiday season, the National Animal Poison Control Center at the University of Illinois receives a higher volume of calls than at other times throughout the winter. Dr. Steve Hansen, DVM and Vice President of Operations, said most of the calls are for pets who have eaten poinsettia plants or chocolate. Other calls were about miseltoe, tinsel, and tree or plant preservatives. A few get electrical burns from chewing on tree cords.
Some dogs eat tree bulbs or glass ornaments.
Just heed the warnings. There are not many poisons that a few minutes delay will hurt. Have the product in hand if possible. It's better to take five minutes and get the correct information since the wrong information can make matters worse. Then pick up the phone and call your vet, emergency clinic or our poison control service immediately.