The holidays are upon us and awareness of what could possibly harm our beloved pets is not what most people immediately think of—but understanding some of the potential harms for pets is vital information.

Figuring out how to avoid a catastrophe for our fur babies will help.

Certain holiday flowers, plants and festive decorations can be deadly to critters.

Arizona Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Center stated in an interview that the average cost for removing a foreign body or treating poisonous ingestion can range anywhere from “$2k- $8k” depending on the circumstance.

The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine created a list of common holiday mistakes made by pet owners, decorations and stockings full of treats can lead to a worrisome and costly visit to the emergency room.

After speaking to Dr. Thomas Satkus a veterinarian and owner of Peoria Animal Hospital, Northeast Valley News discovered some of the most common injuries for pets during the holidays.

According to Satkus, the wires of the lights we hang up can be chewed through, cats and dogs can get themselves caught in them and pull a tree onto themselves causing severe damage.

“All the stuff that we just take for granted can really make pets sick,” Satkus said.

Stockings with candy and chocolate can make animals very sick and can be a major hazard that most owners don’t even realize.

Satkus advises owners to do their research before bringing plants of any type into the home especially poinsettias and think twice before sharing anything and giving “people” food to our pets.

Even though it’s tempting to share yummy holiday dinners and treats with pets, a lot of food is toxic to them.

Foods like turkey skin and poultry bones can be difficult for them to digest and cause punctures to internal organs.

Nutmeg and alcohol should be kept far away from pets because some can cause seizures.

Holiday decorations like ornament strings and hanging objects can entice a kitty, but can get wrapped around them and can cause severe damage if pulled or ingested.

Common flowers and plants during the holidays like poinsettia and mistletoe are poisonous to cats and dogs. If ingested these traditional holiday decorations can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and even death.

Prevention and awareness are the best way to keep your animals safe since our pets are very good at sniffing out curiosities.

If your pet happens to ingest toxic food or decorations, contact the Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 and have the nearest emergency animal hospital or clinic information readily available should your pet need to be transported.