Valentine's Day safety tips for pets

Ah, Valentine’s Day. While we happily shower our furry friends with love and affection all year round, there’s no doubt that February 14th provides the perfect opportunity to show the people (and pets!) in your life just how much you love them. 

That said, on Valentine’s Day pets are surrounded by a plethora of potential hazards. It's true: the chocolate-covered treats and heart-shaped delights we enjoy on Valentine’s Day can be seriously bad news for our furry friends. So, to keep curious canines and kitties safe, we’re sharing our top Valentine’s Day safety tips - and highlighting the main culprits that could cause your pets harm…

Valentine's pet safety tips

Candles, chocolates, and candies can all pose a potential hazard for your pet on Valentine’s Day. Get to know these common Valentine's Day pet hazards and make February 14th a day both you and your furry friends can enjoy.

1. Bouquets of flowers

Unfortunately, there are plenty of flowers and plants that are poisonous to dogs and cats, including chrysanthemums, daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, hydrangeas, not to mention some varieties of lilies (which cats are particularly at risk from). For our pet pals, these everyday plants and flowers can result in some seriously unpleasant symptoms and can be potentially fatal. While the classic Valentine’s Day flower - the rose - is safe and non-toxic to pets, the thorns can cause cuts and injuries, so it's best to keep them out of paw’s reach.

2. Chocolate

Fortunately, most people know that chocolate is toxic to cats and dogs. Chocolate contains theobromine, a substance similar to caffeine that when eaten in enough volume can lead to symptoms including stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, dehydration, and seizures. Keep all chocolate firmly under lock and key, and if your furry friend does manage to get its paws on some, be sure to contact your veterinarian immediately. The type of chocolate eaten is important, white chocolate contains no theobromine so is unlikely to cause toxic effects, whereas dark chocolate contains higher concentrations of theobromine and smaller amounts can be enough to reach the toxic levels in your dog.

3. Sweets and candy

Many popular candies and sweets contain a substance called xylitol - a common sweetener that’s also found in gum, candy, and many sugar-free foods. If eaten, it can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar which can result in a number of nasty symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, lack of coordination, lethargy, seizures, and a coma. There are fewer reports of xylitol poisoning in cats, but due to its high toxicity in dogs, it’s best avoided by feline friends too.

Sometimes the wrappers of candy can be just as much of a worry as the candy itself. Wrappers can cause a blockage in your pets gastrointestinal tract, sometimes needing surgery to remove them. Contact your vet if you think your pet has eaten candy or candy wrappers. 

4. Gift wrap

While your pet probably thinks playing with a rolled-up piece of gift wrap or pawing at a dangling piece of ribbon sounds like an absolute hoot, the truth is these everyday items all pose a potential hazard. Gift wrap, ribbons, bows, string, balloons, and tape could lead to choking or an internal blockage if eaten, so be sure to discard of them as soon as the fun part (i.e. ripping open your gift in approx 0.2 seconds flat) is over.

5. Alcohol

While you might have seen so-called 'paw-secco' or ‘cat wines’ lining the shelves of your local pet store, in reality, these aren't alcoholic at all - they're actually made with pet-safe ingredients like catnip and bone broth (yum).

Alcohol is bad news for our furry friends - consuming alcohol can lead to vomiting and diarrhea, lack of coordination, central nervous system depression, and can cause your pet to lose consciousness if large amounts are ingested . So, if you do wish to share a tipple with your furry pal, stick to the pet-safe, non-alcoholic versions and keep all alcoholic beverages out of reach! If you are having a party, make sure to regularly sweep the room and pick up leftover drinks as dogs are not choosy when considering a sneaky sip!

6. Perfume

Unfortunately, many perfumes (room sprays, air fresheners, and oil diffusers, too) contain toxic ingredients which can cause respiratory irritation and lead to a number of nasty side effects in pets, including coughing, wheezing, nausea, anxiety, and difficulty breathing. In addition to respiratory and digestive issues, cats are particularly susceptible to organ damage from exposure to the oils in perfumes.

It's not just inhalation that poses a threat, either - ingesting perfume can also cause serious damage. If you suspect your pet may have ingested some, contact your vet as soon as possible.

7. Candles

If you’re planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day cuddled up with your furry friend (and who could blame you?), it’s likely that candles will be on the agenda. While they'll certainly set the scene for a cozy night in, the flame of a candle can be seriously intriguing to curious canines and kitties, and can easily be knocked over by a wagging tail. Don’t leave candles unattended, keep them out the way of your pet’s reach, and be sure to triple check the flame is out before calling it a night. Or, play it safe and opt for a flameless candle instead.

Keep wax melts out of reach of pets. Pets can reach up and nock wax melts over, and if the wax spills onto your pet’s fur this can result in painful burns and the wax is very difficult to remove when it hardens. Contact a vet immediately if your pet comes into contact with hot wax or wax melts. The bars of wax also pose an obstruction risk, so keep spare wax out of reach of pets. 

Meet our veterinary expert, Corinne

This article has been checked by veterinarian Corinne Wigfall BVMBVS(Hons) BVMedSci(Hons). Corinne is originally from Wales and moved to New Zealand after graduating university. She started her career with a university based equine internship and moved onto mixed and small animal practice. Currently she splits her time between online tele triage and working in an after hours vet clinic.

Love is... staying happy at home!

A homemade dog treat, a cool new cat toy, an extra cuddle sesh… there are plenty of ways to make Valentine’s for pets extra special. If you’re planning to spend the day of love out of town, be sure to treat your furry friend to a bit of TLC with one of our loving in-home pet sitters (because after all, they deserve nothing less - on Valentine’s Day, and all year round).