Dangerous Festive Foods

As the festive season approaches, be sure to keep the following foods all to yourself… and well away from your pets!

Chocolate

Chocolate is highly poisonous to dogs and cats, and can even be fatal! Make sure your selection boxes and other goodies stay somewhere they can’t reach at all times.  The darker the chocolate, the more risk.  If your pet has eaten some chocolate, don't panic - you can use our handy "choc-tox" calculator to see if you need to seek help!

Alcohol

Alcohol can make our pets sick and dizzy, so be sure to keep it to yourself this Christmas.  Most problems we see with Alcohol and pets is from eating Liquour chocolates!!

Grapes and raisins

Grapes and raisins, found in sweet mince pies and Christmas pudding, can cause kidney failure in pets.  This is a very odd toxic issue as it isn't all dogs that are affected and many dogs who do eat these are fine - however in some animals, they can be affected by an incredibly low-dose.  So we tend to err on the side of caution suggest to induce vomiting in any animal that has eaten any amount.

Xylitol

Xylitol is a sweetener, commonly found in sugar-free sweets, chewing gum, toothpaste, mouthwash and certain baked goods. Check labels of such items carefully, or better still, keep them away from your pet altogether.  Xylitol can make pets very poorly VERY quickly (in around 15mins) and if you think your pet has eaten it then contact a vet straight away.  It can cause low blood sugar and so giving them something sweet such as jam or honey can help whilst you arrange emergency care.

Fatty foods

Fine in small doses, but do be careful. Sausages, bacon and other fatty meats can cause stomach upsets.  Pancreatitis can be triggered by a sudden binge of fatty food.

Nuts

Nuts are a choking hazard, and some can make our pets vomit. Avoid feeding these to your pets, and take extra care when carrying a handful from one room to the other.

Onions

Onions, and other cooking essentials such as garlic and chives, can cause stomach damage or blood disorders to our pets. While you’re preparing meals over Christmas, you may want to keep them out of the kitchen… just in case.

Cooked bones

Bones can cause a great deal of damage if they split, crack or get lodged somewhere they shouldn’t.  As famous a dog treat as they might be, it’s often safer to choose something else.  We do often find that eating bones can trigger colitis or other tummy upsets.  So called "Monday-Morning-Syndrome" is something we regularly see after Sunday dinners/barbeques!

Corn on the cob

Corn is difficult to digest, and the cob poses an intestinal blockage hazard.  We regularly see these causing dogs to require emergency bowel surgery and is definitely in the Top 10 culprits.  Once again, it’s better just to avoid this one altogether.

Pet-friendly treats

The best advice we can give, is to try and stick to feeding your pet what you would NORMALLY feed them!  If you stick to vet-approved, pet-friendly treats and their regular sensible diet you can provide your pet with the best Christmas…. And risk-free, too!

If you’re concerned, or have any further questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call!