Why is Christmas dangerous for pets?
Turkey, booze, mince pies and boxes of chocolates. Just some of the treats we will be looking forward to this Christmas. But while we might regret some over indulgence, all these foods can be dangerous to dogs this Christmas.
Eating the wrong foods could give your dog diarrhoea and sickness, or result in a trip to the emergency vet.
There is always more food and drinks at home during the festive season. If your dog or cat decides to steal them it could lead to illness that could be serious or even prove fatal if not treated.
There are also decorations to take into account – your cat might mistake a bauble on the tree for a toy and they can be sharp when they break. Then there are visitors who might not realise how certain foods are poisonous to pets or feed them a turkey bone that could cause a blockage in your dog’s throat or tummy.
So before the festive weekend begins here is our guide to keeping your dogs and cats safe at Christmas.
Christmas cake and mince pies
Raisins and sultanas are poisonous to dogs. This means Christmas cake, pudding and mince pies are strictly off limits for your pooch. Even a small amount could cause your dog to have sickness and diarrhoea and larger volumes could cause serious illness leading to kidney failure up to three days after ingesting the fruit.
Don’t take a chance! Contact your vet if you suspect your dog has eaten mince pies or Christmas pudding.
Your vet will probably induce vomiting in your dog and follow up with a charcoal treatment and a probiotic like PetExx Stomach Settler to rebalance the gut.
Chocolate
Another dangerous food for your dog is chocolate. And remember, the darker the chocolate the more dangerous it is.
Keep chocolates off your tree, however tempting it is and warn all your visitors that chocolate is dangerous for pets and could cause diarrhoea in dogs.
While it is one of our favourite treats, chocolate contains theobromine in cocoa. Cats and dogs can’t break this substance down and it can cause serious illness.
If you suspect your pet has eaten chocolate contact your vet immediately. Be honest about how much they have had. Your vet might induce vomiting but even if the amount isn’t necessary for vet treatment, you might still spend part of your Christmas holiday clearing up the mess from a dog diarrhoea or sickness.
We could recommend you have some Stomach Settler probiotic paste in the kitchen cupboard to help rebalance the gut after a bout of dog diarrhoea or vomiting.
Alcohol
It’s inevitable there could be discarded glasses of fizz or bottles of beer at home during the festive holidays. But beware, even a small amount of alcohol can be dangerous for your dog or cat.
The ethanol in alcoholic drinks can cause a range of symptoms from vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs to muscle tremors and even seizure. So keep all drinks out of reach of dogs and warn visitors to do the same. Call your vet if you suspect your pet has drunk any alcohol.
If your dog suffers diarrhoea or sickness as a result of drinking a small amount of alcohol PetExx Stomach Settler will help rebalance the gut after sickness.
Get more advice on Christmas and dogs from the Kennel Club.
