Christmas is a time for family feasts and indulgence, but sharing your festive plate with your four-legged friend could lead to a costly and dangerous trip to the emergency vet. Experts are urging dog owners to be vigilant about common holiday foods that pose serious health risks to pets.
The Hidden Dangers on Your Christmas Plate
While those pleading eyes under the dinner table are hard to resist, many traditional Christmas dishes contain ingredients that are toxic or hazardous to dogs. Organisations including the Blue Cross, the Kennel Club, and Barking Heads have highlighted key festive foods that should be kept strictly out of reach of curious canines.
The list of dangers includes some surprising items. Cooked turkey bones, for instance, are a major risk. When cooked, bones soften and can easily splinter, causing potential blockages or lacerations in a dog's throat and digestive system. Interestingly, raw bones are considered safer as dogs are less susceptible to bacteria like salmonella, but they still carry risks. Vets often recommend a sturdy toy as a safer alternative.
Specific Festive Foods to Avoid
Chocolate remains a well-known but ever-present danger. It contains theobromine, which dogs cannot metabolise effectively. Ingestion can lead to severe illness and even death, with dark chocolate being the most toxic due to its higher concentration. Every year, dogs are hospitalised after eating advent calendars or selection boxes.
Popular sides like pigs in blankets and leftover turkey skin are far too rich in fat and salt for canine consumption. Foods high in fat can trigger pancreatitis, leading to vomiting, fever, and extreme lethargy. Canine experts at Purina advise that if you must share, offer only lean cuts in tiny amounts.
Sweet treats like Christmas cake, pudding, and mince pies are particularly dangerous because they contain raisins or currants. These dried fruits contain tartaric acid, which can cause sudden kidney failure in dogs.
Even cranberry sauce, while not directly toxic, is packed with sugar and can cause blood sugar spikes and dehydration. Stuffing is another hazard, as it typically contains onions, garlic, or chives—all members of the allium family, which are poisonous to dogs whether cooked or raw.
What to Do If Your Dog Eats Something Harmful
If you suspect your dog has consumed a dangerous food, contact your vet or an out-of-hours emergency service immediately. Quick action is crucial. Take the food packaging with you to help the vet assess the quantity ingested and determine the correct treatment.
Never attempt to induce vomiting unless specifically instructed by a veterinary professional. Key signs of illness in your dog include vomiting, diarrhoea, twitching, low energy, a reduced appetite, and a hunched back.
Dr Scott Miller, a vet associated with Barking Heads, offers simple advice for the festive season: "With a dog's gut not the best at dealing with changes in protein or rich foods, I would advise that you offer your pooch their usual diet this festive season, and bestow on them the gift of love, a walk and some great interactive toys instead." Keeping pets out of the kitchen during cooking and doing a thorough floor sweep afterwards can also prevent accidental ingestion.
This Christmas, the kindest gift for your pet might just be a break from the festive leftovers, ensuring they stay happy, healthy, and away from the vet's surgery.
