Christmas With a Dog: What Is Actually Dangerous

PETS · GLOBAL

Christmas With a Dog: What Is Actually Dangerous

Foods to keep away, decorations, advent calendars and visitors

Veterinary practices see a predictable set of emergencies every December, and almost all of them are preventable.

The foods

Chocolate, which contains theobromine and is toxic in quantity, with dark chocolate the worst. Raisins, sultanas and currants — so mince pies, Christmas pudding and stollen — which cause kidney failure in some dogs at small doses.

Onions, garlic and leeks in stuffing and gravy. Macadamia nuts. Alcohol. Cooked bones, which splinter.

Xylitol, found in some sugar-free sweets, chewing gum and peanut butter, is severely toxic even in small amounts.

Advent calendars

A human chocolate calendar within reach is a genuine emergency waiting to happen, since a dog will eat the whole thing including the packaging. Hang them high.

Dog advent calendars are treats and count within about ten percent of daily calories, so reduce meals accordingly rather than adding on top.

Decorations

Tinsel and ribbon cause intestinal obstruction if swallowed. Glass baubles cut. Fairy light cables are a chewing and electrocution risk. Lilies, poinsettia, holly and mistletoe are all toxic to varying degrees, and lilies are lethal to cats.

Secure the tree so it cannot be pulled over and keep the water reservoir covered.

If your dog eats something

Contact a vet immediately rather than waiting for symptoms, and tell them what and roughly how much. Do not try to make a dog vomit at home.

Travelling with a dog

Restrain the dog properly in the car with a crash-tested harness or a crate, since an unrestrained animal is dangerous to everyone in a collision and is a highway code requirement in the UK.

Never leave a dog in a car, and take water, a bowl and familiar bedding on any journey.

Fireworks and parties

Prepare weeks in advance with a covered den, background noise and desensitisation, and speak to a vet about medication for a severely affected animal.

Treats and weight

Treats should stay within about ten percent of daily calories, and dried chews are dense enough that a few use most of that. Reduce meals to match rather than adding on top.

Excess weight shortens dogs' lives measurably and accelerates joint problems.

Chews

Supervise every chew, take it away once it is small enough to swallow, and avoid anything so hard it could fracture a tooth.

Ask a vet before giving anything new to a dog with a diagnosed condition.

Visitors and noise

Provide a quiet room with a bed and water, and tell guests not to feed the dog.

Keep the routine — walks and mealtimes — as normal as possible.

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