ChristmasListicle

Things to keep away from your dogs this Christmas 

Jordyn Hyre 771 Views , 

A whopping 3.2 million households have introduced four-legged friends to their families since the beginning of Covid-19 in the UK.

For many families, this year will be the first Christmas celebrated with their new pets.

To ensure your pets are kept safe this Christmas, here’s what NOT to feed them!

Bones

Do not ‘give your dog a bone’ this Christmas!

Cooked poultry bones in particular can break and splinter. This could ultimately cause serious internal damage or intestinal obstruction.

The RSPCA encourages dog owners to feed their pets raw, human-grade, meaty bones as they help to keep teeth and gums healthy.

If you want to avoid a trip to the vets this Christmas, I’d steer clear just in case.

Chocolate

Most people know that while chocolate is a great treat for humans, this is not the case for dogs.

Chocolate is actually toxic to dogs because it contains theobromine and caffeine.

Not all chocolate is the same when it comes to toxicity. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it can be.

If dogs consume a large amount of chocolate they might develop some of the following:

  • Seizures
  • Tremors
  • Heart attack
  • Irregular heart rate
  • Internal bleeding

 

Alcohol

Just like chocolate, alcohol can be extremely toxic for dogs too.

If your dog has just happened to ingest your bucks fizz this Christmas they may experience some of the following symptoms:

  • Vomiting
  • Confusion and disorientation
  • Hyperactivity
  • Staggering or general lack of coordination
  • Fainting and loss of control of bodily movements
  • Excessive drooling and salivation
  • Dehydration
  • Diarrhoea
  • Seizures

Pets 4 home says: “Alcohol poisoning or potential poisoning in your dog is a serious thing, and taking the wait and see approach is not appropriate.”

Be sure not to leave any alcoholic beverages unattended this year!

Doggy beer and pawsecco are great alcohol alternatives for dogs do they don’t miss out on anything this Christmas.

Mince pies, Christmas pudding and anything containing raisins or grapes

The traditional Christmas treat that is a mince pie can also be extremely poisonous for dogs, so make sure Santa is the only person you leave one out for!

It is not yet known why our four-legged friends can’t eat raisins, but even just the one raisin can be extremely dangerous for a small dog.

Symptoms of raisin toxicity in dogs include:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoe
  • Increased urination
  • Loss of appetite
  • Bad breath
  • More severe signs are similar to kidney failure

Here’s the perfect treat for your dogs this Christmas!

 

Image Source: Jakob Owens (Unsplash)