Keeping Your Dog Safe This Christmas

Christmas is such a busy time and humans have enormous to-do lists.  The family and friends are round at your house and everything is noisy, chaotic and unfamiliar.  At Christmas it can be easy to take your concentration and focus away from your furry friend and they can get a bit lost in the occasion.  Sometimes though it’s more than a just not being the centre of attention.  Some things we have in our homes at Christmas are dangerous to dogs and we need to take a little extra care when they are around. There are a number of foods to be careful with as well as toxic plants.

According to the British Veterinary Association, four in five vets report seeing at least one case of toxic ingestion during the festive season. To ensure your Christmas is merry and bright for the whole family, Tom Sadler, founder of pet accessories shop Fur King, has revealed the foods to avoid and how to create a dog-safe Christmas dinner, so no one is left out.

Chocolate

Tom reveals that chocolate is one of the most common festive dangers for dogs. In 2021/22, 76% of vets saw cases of chocolate poisoning, and figures from The Kennel Club also highlight that nearly 31% of all chocolate-poisoning claims last year were made between December and January. The issue comes from theobromine, a chemical found in cocoa that dogs can’t metabolise effectively. Even a small amount can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea, hyperactivity, tremors, irregular heartbeat, seizures, and in severe cases, death.

Christmas pudding/mince pies/fruitcake

Although delicious, these festive puddings are packed with raisins, currants and sultanas, all of which are poisonous to dogs. The Kennel Club reported that 34% of all raisin or grape poisoning claims occur during the Christmas season. Tom explains that although the exact toxin is unknown, ingesting these foods can cause acute kidney failure, and without treatment, it can be life-threatening.

Cooked bones

While it might be tempting to give your dog the leftover bones from your Christmas turkey as a festive treat, cooked bones are extremely dangerous. Cooking causes bones to become brittle, making them prone to splintering when chewed. These sharp fragments can puncture the mouth, throat, or intestines, leading to internal bleeding, choking, or blockages that often require emergency surgery.

Stuffing and gravy

Most stuffings and gravies contain onion, which can damage a dog’s red blood cells, leading to anaemia, lethargy, and breathlessness. This toxicity applies to all forms of onion – raw, cooked, powdered, or dehydrated. Tom states that even letting your dog lick the gravy boat could cause problems. These foods are also often high in salt, and too much can lead to increased fluid load, causing elevated blood pressure and worsening the signs of heart disease. As the amount of salt increases, this leads to salt toxicity.

Alcohol

Christmas is a time of celebration, and this often includes the consumption of alcohol. But if your furry friend ingests even small amounts, it can lead to vomiting, disorientation, tremors, and dangerously low blood sugar levels. Tom urges people to be wary of the fact that alcohol can also appear in hidden forms, such as rum-soaked fruits, liqueur chocolates, and sauces, which makes it easy for dogs to consume without owners realising. Ethanol toxicity can be fatal if left untreated, particularly for smaller breeds.

So, what’s the alternative?

Just because there are a number of items your dog can’t eat, it doesn’t mean they have to be excluded from the festivities completely. Tom has outlined a safe, delicious and perfectly Christmassy dinner your dogs can enjoy.

Turkey – Skinless, boneless turkey breast, cooked plain. If you want to feed bones, opt for raw, meaty and easy to digest options such as turkey neck or wings, and make sure to supervise.

Vegetables – Steamed or boiled carrots and leafy greens are perfect options for your pooch.

Carbohydrates – Plain, mashed sweet potato, which is rich in vitamins A, C, and B6, as well as full of fibre, which aids digestion.

Gravy – Boil the plain turkey carcass and any unused bones in water to create a low-sodium turkey broth.

The Fur King founder added the following advice, “Insurers and vets report that December consistently sees the highest number of poisonings all year.

“Christmas is right around the corner, so there are things you can do to prevent an incident from occurring. Teaching your dog a solid ‘leave it’ cue is one of the most important life skills for them to learn, and it’s arguably more important than ‘sit’ or ‘down’. A dog that learns impulse control will be safer in the long run.

“Management is also crucial. If you know your dog gets tempted by food, it’s your responsibility to prevent them from gaining access to it. Put food out of reach and clean up any spills before they can get to it.

“Every year, we hear people saying that their dog has eaten chocolate or consumed alcohol and survived, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Toxicity depends on a dog’s size, age, and even genetics, so what one dog can tolerate might make another gravely ill.

“A little preparation goes a long way. Christmas can be chaotic, but if we stay mindful and set boundaries early, our dogs can enjoy the day safely without missing out on the fun.”