Festive Foods Pets Should Avoid During Holidays

Although Christmas is a very special occasion and the perfect time of year for sharing and making delicious food, many items on the Christmas lunch menu can cause health problems for your pet/s. Pets struggle to digest and metabolise human foods and as a result your pet/s can become severely unwell and in worst cases can be fatal to them.

Here are some festive foods you should avoid:

Mince Pies and Christmas Cakes & Nuts

These are filled with dried fruits including grapes, raisins, sultanas as well as different types of nuts, which contain a toxin that are dangerous for pets to consume. Even a small amount of any of these foods can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and in some cases, they will cause kidney disease.

Stuffing

It usually contains onions and garlic which are foods that can impact the red blood cells cause anaemia. Stuffing also contains a very high percentage of fats and oil which is not healthy for your pet/s too. Symptoms of toxicity can include rapid breathing, lethargy, excessive drooling, pale gums and vomiting. 

Gravy

Although it may be very tempting to drizzle even a small amount of gravy onto your pet/s food, it can cause pancreatitis and have very similar effects as stuffing does.

Cooked Bones

You should never feed your pets cooked bones and they can splinter easily causing them to become wedged in their teeth, throat and even cause an obstruction or perforation in their bowels. This is considered a life-threatening situation and you should seek Veterinary attention immediately. 

Chocolate

Is highly toxic to pets even if given a very small amount. Although ALL chocolate is toxic to dogs, the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is to your pet. There is a wide range of symptoms that chocolate toxicity can cause including, vomiting, diarrhoea, hyperactivity and even seizures.

Nutmeg

Although a popular spice to use during the festive season, it is extremely toxic to them. It can cause seizures and tremors if ingested.

Alcohol 

Although not a food, even the smallest amount of alcohol can cause adverse effects and in larger quantities can be fatal. So, make sure they stay away from those Rumballs!

Sweet Treats

Lots of these treats contain Xylitol and is extremely toxic to your pet/s as it is quickly absorbed into their bloodstream and can cause a potent release of insulin from the pancreas. This can drop their blood sugar rapidly and effects can become evident within 10 -60 minutes from first ingestion. Therefore, it is vital to seek immediate veterinary attention, so we are able to prevent the effects as soon as possible. 

Christmas Ham, Turkey, other Meats and Skin of Meats

These are filled with fat and oils which your pet finds very hard to digest properly. Due to their high fat content, they can experience vomiting, diarrhoea and can cause their pancreas to become inflamed and can also be fatal in worst case scenarios. 

Overall, you should avoid giving your pets any of these foods and it is safest to stick to their usual dog or cat specific food. If you accidentally feed the above items to your pets, it is best to seek veterinary attention as the sooner we are able to treat your dog the better. Please be aware your pets can sneak the leftovers out of the bin so please be wary of that circumstance too. 

On a lighter note, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! But please do not hesitate to reach out for further information or assistance, as our friendly team will be more than happy to help.