5 Christmas Foods You Should Never Give Your Dog
With so much delicious food around this Christmas, you may feel the temptation to include your dog in all the fun. Before the season is upon us read on to make sure you do not give your dog anything that could be disastrous to their health.
1. Chocolate
I know for many of you giving chocolate your dog just wouldn't happen. However, some dog’s are masters of stealth. For the determined dog, that box of wrapped chocolates under the tree won’t stand a chance, those chocolate baubles will be gone, the Chocolate Santa from Johnny’s stocking will be history. We can be very busy on Christmas morning and what the dog is up to can be missed. Make sure the whole family know that chocolate is harmful to dogs and can kill them. If your dog does manage to eat chocolate call your emergency vet for advice, how much they have eaten and the size of the dog will determine any following treatment.
2. Christmas Stuffing
Onions are the base ingredient of many stuffings, so before giving any Christmas leftovers to your dog consider the following. Onions contain thiosulphate which is toxic to dogs. Eating onions can cause a condition known as hemolytic anaemia (when the red blood cells circulating around your dog's body burst). This can be fatal so make sure your dog does not inadvertently eat onions this Christmas.
3. Mince Pies
These seasonal staples are packed full of raisins which are toxic to dogs. The exact cause of this toxicity is not yet known but if ingested can cause sudden kidney failure in some dogs. Raisin (and grape) poisoning can cause a combination of the following symptoms: vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, a large reduction in the passing of urine, tremors and seizures. If you think your dog has eaten raisins call your vet straight away if they vomit and raisins are present do the same. Raisins are in many Christmas treats not just mince pies, be careful with Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, stollen and panettone to name a few.
4. Turkey Bones
Turkey bones look big and you may be tempted to give it to your dog as a treat to gnaw on. The problem with cooked bones is that they become brittle and when snapped can splinter and be very sharp. This can not only cut your dog's mouth but if swallowed can puncture their digestive tract. They can also get stuck in the digestive system leading to further complications for your dog. If you want something for your dog to chew on during the meal, look for a safe and healthy alternative or a new chew toy (even a squeaky one - it is Christmas after all!)
5. Macadamia nuts
We seem to love a nut around this time of year and they do look tempting in a festive bowl but in case you didn't know, the macadamia nut is toxic to dogs. The symptoms of ingesting macadamia nuts is a weakness and an inability to walk, affecting mainly the hind legs. This can be accompanied by vomiting, tremors and staggering and usually affects the dog around 12 hours after ingestion. Many Christmas nuts are covered in chocolate which we have already mentioned so if you think your dog may have ingested this nut call your vet as soon as possible. These symptoms, although upsetting at the time, seem to be temporary but checking is always in the dog's best interest.
These 5 foods are the Christmas headliners but are not the only foods a dog should not eat. Most of our Christmas dinner is too fatty and salty to make it suitable for a dog, so do not overfeed them your leftovers (unless you enjoy clearing up runny poo - you have been warned!)
How can I spoil my dog then?
They will love the extra time with the family, longer walks, a new toy, ball or bed. You could stock up on some healthy dog treats, chews and play some fun games with them. And finally, if it snows let them have a mad half hour outside!
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