Most of us look forward to the Christmas holidays – it’s a season filled with fun, laughter and gifts – but for pets it can be a time of hazards and anxiety.

Pets Corner head of training, Lucy Ross, has compiled some simple tips for keeping your pets safe and happy during the festive period.

Christmas trees and plants: Most Christmas tree species have only a low level of toxicity, but needles can cause gastrointestinal upset or even intestinal perforation. Choose a “nondrop” species, vacuum regularly, keep your tree hydrated to minimise needle drop and avoid leaving your pet unsupervised with the tree. Mistletoe, poinsettias and festive berries can all lead to health problems if ingested, so keep them out of your pet’s reach.

Tree decorations: Unfortunately, playful cats or dogs might be intrigued by the decorations adorning your tree. Tinsel is not toxic, but ingesting it can cause choking or blockages. Supervise your pet near the tree as much as possible.

Festive food: Many of the foods we enjoy at Christmas are toxic to our pets – some even pose life threatening consequences.

Chocolate is highly toxic, so if you do find your pet has feasted on chocolate while your back was turned, seek advice from your vet.

Nuts are poisonous to many pets and should be avoided. Be on your guard and keep tempting foods away from your pet – and remember that their regular diet is far more beneficial than rich festive “human” foods.

Wrapping paper, ribbons and gifts: Be mindful of where you store chocolate gifts as your pet may decide to help themselves.

Wintry weather: Be sure to keep your pets warm when temperatures plummet.

It goes without saying that, if you have any doubts about your pet’s health, then you should seek immediate veterinary attention.

Pets Corner is a family-owned and family-run business with animal welfare at its heart. It supplies high-quality nutritional supplements in store and at petscorner.co.uk