Dog owners have been warned to keep their furry friends away from the toxic foods likely to feature on our festive plates this Christmas.
Christmas pudding, chocolate and even onions can be bad for dogs, possibly causing vomiting, convulsions and kidney failure.
Cheese and any products containing milk or butter should also stay out of food bowls – like many humans, dogs can find it hard to digest dairy products.
Pet experts PurePetFood.com have drawn up a list of common Christmas foods and ingredients which could poison canines.
According to PurePetFood, Christmas pudding and mince pies are out. As well as being full of fat and possibly alcohol, they contain raisins and sultanas which, like grapes, make many pets seriously ill.
Chocolate should be avoided at all costs. It contains the theobromine, which is a bit like caffeine, and is toxic to dogs. It can cause agitation, hyper-excitability, tremors, convulsions and problems with the heart.
Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots and chives can poison pooches, whether raw or cooked. After digesting onions, a dog could suffer vomiting and diarrhoea, but the main damage it causes is to red blood cells, causing anaemia.
Christmas dinner leftovers will likely be smothered in gravy, which is high in salt so should be avoided,
Dairy products like milk and cheese can cause stomach upsets, diarrhoea and vomiting.
Alcohol should be kept well away from pets. Dogs can get drunk and suffer the same affects as humans. Even small amounts found in cooked food should not be given to animals, and veterinary assistance should be sought straight away should your pet accidentally ingests some.
A sugar-free sweetener called xylitol is often found in the sweets we eat over Christmas. It is poisonous to dogs and can induce the release of insulin in the body, causing low blood sugar and sometimes liver damage. Signs of poisoning can be rapid or delayed, and include vomiting, lethargy, convulsions and comas.
Vets have also warned that dogs shouldn’t be allowed to eat nuts like almonds and pistachios, which can cause an upset stomach or a throat obstruction, or macadamias and certain walnuts which can be toxic, causing seizures.
Turkey bones are also hollow and splinter easily, so should never be given to pets.
Laura Paterson, clinic director at White Cross Vets in Wolstanton, said: "Christmas is one of the most hazardous times of the year for pets.
"We always experience a surge of calls across our practices, at this time of year, from worried cat and dog owners whose pets have fallen ill due to something they have eaten or because of something else related to Christmas.
"In recent years we’ve seen everything from dogs becoming ill after helping themselves to chocolate off Christmas trees through to cats drinking sherry.
"This means it’s hugely important to be vigilant, but the good news is that by taking some basic precautions, there’s absolutely no reason why our furry friends can’t enjoy the festive season as much as everyone else does."
Dog owner Gemma Woodworth, of Meir Park will be letting her pet, Alfie, enjoy some Christmas left-overs – but she will be careful what she gives him.
Mother-of-two Gemma, aged 39, said: “We’ve got a list of what not to give him, because you don’t want a poorly dog, especially at Christmas.
“The one that surprised me was grapes.
“We have bought a dog’s Christmas dinner for Alfie – but I refuse to pay the price for dog mince pies, they’re really expensive.”
A spokesman for PurePetFood.com added: “Christmas is the time to indulge in all our favourite festive foods, and as they’re part of the family, dogs should be allowed to get in on some of the action too.
“If you do want to treat your dog this Christmas, buy a specially made Christmas dinner for dogs, or stick to safe human foods like turkey meat, Brussels sprouts, potatoes and carrots.”
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