Christmas brings with it lots of temptation for our dogs, from Christmas decorations & presents to all that tasty food that smells so good! We've highlighted the things your dog definitely needs to avoid this festive season to make sure there a no unexpected trips to the vets.
Christmas Foods
- Raisins, Currants, Grapes & Sultanas
Raisins are toxic to dogs causing kidney failure and are potentially fatal in larger quantities. As well as raisins themselves, their are lots of festive foods such as mince pies that contain raisins, currants or sultanas and need to be avoided.
- Onions, Garlic & Edible Bulbs
Onions or other bulbs such as garlic or shallots need to be avoided as they can cause your dog to develop a condition called hemolytic anemia. Stuffing is one that needs to be avoided due to the onion content.
- Alcohol & Caffienated Drinks
Even the smallest amount of alcohol can be toxic to dogs so this is one that definitely needs to be avoided! Caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee and some fizzy drinks can lead to cafffeine poisoning so again need to be avoided, although many dogs do enjoy tea and one or two laps shouldn't do any harm.
- Chocolate
It's really well known that chocolate is dangerous for our dogs, and at this time of year there's normally a lot of it lying round so it's one to watch out for! Chocolate contains theobromine which dogs struggle to digest, leading to a build up in their system that can very quickly become toxic.
- Desserts & Sweets
Lots of Christmas desserts are likely contain either raisins, sultanas, chocolate or some type of alcohol which are all potentially dangerous. Even those without these ingredients are likely to be too rich and fatty for our dogs leading to vomiting and diarrhea.
- Nuts, Fruit Pips & Stones
While some nuts are safe for dogs to eat, others such as macadamia nuts and black walnuts are toxic. If you have any doubt over which are safe it's bet to avoid them all together. Peanut butter is a great Kong filler, but make sure to buy one that doesn't contain xylitol as this is toxic. Fruit pips and stones need to be avoided. Pips can become lodged in the digestive system and cause problems. Many fruit stones contain cyanide which again are poisonous.
- Turkey Skin & Bones
Turkey skin is a super tasty treat but is very rich and fatty leading to stomach upsets. Turkey bones are a definite no as these are small and splinter easily creating sharp pieces that could do a lot of damage!
- Dairy Products
Many dogs are lactose intolerant so they're not able to digest dairy products properly resulting in vomiting and diarrhea, Dairy products are also high in fat which can also upset their stomachs and isn't great for their waistline either. As a special treat, a few teaspoons of milk as an occassional treat is unlikely to do any harm but isn't a necessary part of your dogs diet.