Killer plants and vicious meat bones are not exactly what you would expect to read about, but when pets and christmas come together, those scary descriptions can be no exaggeration. We can give you the low-down on poisonous festive plants and the hazards of feeding your pet bones.....

Poisonous plants

Although dogs and cats have a good sense of what they can and cannot eat, accidents can and do happen. Lots of Christmas plants are poisonous to animals so always keep them out of your pets reach. The younger the pet is, the higher the risk of poisoning if it eats a toxic plant.

Around Christmas time, these plants are often seen on their own or in festive decorations and all are poisonous to pets to some degree: poinsetta , mistletoe, holly, christmas rose, yew, christmas candle, ivy, kalanchoe and lilies (which are particularly poisonous to cats). Signs of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhoea, nervousness, difficulty breathing and change in the size of the eyes pupils. Your pet may even stumble, convulse (have a fit) or slip in to unconsciousness.

If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, call a vet immediately who may be able to advise you how serious the poisoning is. Whatever you do, under no circumstances try and make your pet sick - this couldmake matter worse. Keep any evidence of the suspected poison and a sample of your pets vomit for the vet to examine.

Bad bones

Eating cooked bones kills more cats and dogs than you would expect. Pet owners believe they are treating their pet by giving them a cooked chicken leg or a half-eaten lamb chop, but the bones can splinter when chewed and stick in an animals throat. If this happens, a dog or cat will need expensive veterinary treatment and may die.

The RSPCA's chief veterinary advisor Tim Miles says: "If you are giong to feed your dog bones, make sure they are sterilised marrow bones".

This time of year there are other things around that can be dangerous to animals so please do not let your pets get too close to:

• Spray snow
• Christmas tree water - stagnant water is a breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria that can cause intestinal problems for pets
• Pot-pourri essence - it can irritate your pets skin, eyes and mouth
• Alcohol
• Sweets and chocolate - are bad for pets teeth and chocolate can be poisonous
• Rubber bands - they could be eaten or become fixed on a pets leg and eventually cut off the blood supply when hidden beneath fur
• Antifreeze for cars - it is sweet tasting and poisonous

Remember your pets are used to your daily routine - at Christmas there are a lot of changes- people visiting, decorations, parties, loud music, presents and more - all of these things may scare your pet and make them feel uneasy; if you have a nervous pet, try to keep them in a seperate room away from all the festivities so that they feel safe and secure during the holiday period. This is also relevant over New Years with firework celebrations - remember to keep your pets indoors on New Years Eve/New Years Day so that they are not frightened by all the noises-it may be an exciting time for us, but animals do not know what all the fuss is about and often find it very stressful.

Everyone at The RSPCA Paws Centre hopes you have a happy, incident-free Christmas and New Year!

If you need help or advice over this period please call our National Helpline on 0300 1234 999 (24hrs 365 days a year).