ALCOHOL is often left around on low tables during holiday festivities and dogs have been known to drink them - especially the sweet drinks with cream like Bailey’s or egg nog. It takes relatively little alcohol to get a dog drunk, which can cause medical problems for very young or very old dogs.

BONES are often the end result of holiday meals with special ingredients. It is greatly misunderstood what a terrible risk bones are for dogs. Only marrow bones are safe - the thick, smooth bones with marrow in the middle that leaves a hollow center afterwards. All other bones can kill your dog – or at the least require emergency surgery. Never mind the bones your grandpa used to feed his hunting dog – all bones splinter and can puncture the esophagus or intestine, causing a life-threatening condition.

COLD WEATHER poses a risk even for big dogs with heavy coats, who should only go out for short periods and with special attention to their feet in icy or snowy conditions. But for smaller dogs and those without heavy natural protection from the elements, do not think you are making a “sissy” of your dog by covering him with a sweater and even a coat over it in cold windy temperatures: he needs it. Hypothermia (a lowered core body temperature) can occur with relatively short exposure to extreme cold is a serious problem.

COLLARS with a holiday theme are popular but make sure it fits your dog so that it can’t get hooked on something and choke him. “Dress up” is fine as long as the dog is with you, but remove the collar and put his own collar with identification back on when you aren’t there to keep an eye on things.

CHRISTMAS TREES are a risk for all dogs, but puppies in particular because they explore the world around them by putting everything in their mouths. The ornaments on lower branches of the tree – and even the low branches themselves – pose a temptation to young dogs. They can bite at glass ornaments – which then break in their mouths or can hurt them when they step on the broken pieces. Young dogs will also put any edible decoration like candy canes or popcorn garlands in their mouths and none of it will agree with them. Tinsel on trees is tempting to dogs, and if they ingest it can wreak havoc on their insides.

FATTY FOODS like chocolate, turkey skin, bacon, baked goods and fried foods are prevalent over the holidays. You’re celebrating and want your dog to join in the festivities - but don’t think you’re doing him any favor by feeding him rich foods. Foods that are high in fat can cause a dog to throw up or get diarrhea. However, in some dogs, over-indulging can lead to pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas which can require hospitalization and can even be fatal.

HALLOWEEN is all about candy and if your dog has access to any of it he can get sick – and if it is chocolate a dog can get really sick. In addition, since dogs aren’t very good at unwrapping candy, they often eat the foil or cellophane or paper wrappers, too, and those are not digestible. High-strung dogs can also get spooked by a stream of costumed visitors at the door so they are better off kept out of the human traffic.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS can cause serious problems. Dogs can bite down on the power cord and get shocked. The broken wire can also lead to a fire.

OVEREATING is something that people generally do during the holidays and they often figure “Oh let the dog live a little, too.” The only problem is that many dogs will eat until they burst – and overeating can cause the life-threatening condition called “bloat,” which can literally cause a dog’s stomach to look as though it may burst (and may do so internally). Guard against “counter-surfing” by larger dogs or “cocktail table surfing” by smaller ones because gorging on rich foods can put a dog in the hospital.

PLANTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS can add a festive look to your home, but make sure that they are not accessible to your dog, especially a puppy who might be tempted to nibble on them. The potentially fatal plants are Amaryllis and its bulb, Japanese Yew, and English or day lilies. Azalea, English ivy, mistletoe, eucalyptus, holly and poinsettia can all cause intestinal and other problems.