Poisonous foods for dogs at Christmas

For us, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, but spare a thought for your cats and dogs at Christmas.

With everyone busy and distracted and all that food, drink and presents galore, your pet could be at higher risk of poisoning and accidents. If you need to stop and ask "are mince pies bad for dogs?", then this is for you.

Follow our advice to keep your cats and dogs safe and avoid spending the New Year at the vet.

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The hidden dangers of Christmas for pets

A lot is going on at Christmas. Delicious food, festive tipples, friends and relatives coming and going, decorations, noise, all while it’s cold, dark and slippery outdoors.

We looked at claims for cats and dogs between 8 December 2020 and 7 December 2021 and noticed that over 16% of claims were for accidents over the festive period. For the rest of the year, it was less than 15%.

Accidents happen all year round, but there are some extra risks about Christmas. An incredible 45% of accident claims are for foreign bodies, and another 20% are for intoxication by poisoning.

The bulk of these claims come from pets eating something they shouldn’t and either being poisoned or getting it stuck in their throat or digestive organs. Other foreign body claims involve things finding their way into eyes, ears and noses.

Common household items that pose a threat

Puppies are particularly accident-prone, so make sure you make good use of your puppy pen or crate when you can't keep an eye on them.

Some festive foreign bodies to keep your pet away from are:

• Tinsel and glitter - If they eat it, tinsel won’t break down and the long strands could get stuck in your dog’s guts. If your cat’s drawn to sparkly things, they could get fragments caught in their eyes, ears or nose.

• Bones - Your pet’s probably drawn to the delicious smells wafting from your kitchen in December, but make sure the turkey stays out of their reach. Cooked bones can splinter when they’re chewed and get stuck in their throat, gums or stomach.

• Toys - You probably got your pet some gifts of their own to unwrap, but be careful of your dog eyeing up your kids’ new toys. Plastic parts can be chewed, swallowed and get stuck, but toys containing small button batteries or strong magnets are a particular menace. They can do untold damage to your pet’s digestive organs if they’re swallowed. Get the kids to tidy up for the sake of their toys and their best friend.

What festive foods are harmful to dogs?

Things that are toxic to your pet are in abundance at Christmas time. Although cat owners should be mindful of bringing festive plants like poinsettia and mistletoe into their homes, dogs are the main culprit here.

Dogs aren’t exactly renowned for being picky eaters and will make an opportunistic feast of anything dropped on the floor or left on an unguarded plate.

Quite a few foods that are toxic to dogs are festive favourites for humans, which might explain why dog poisoning claims account for more than 28% of all dog accident claims over the festive season - 7% higher than for the rest of the year:

By far the most common cause of dog poisoning is grapes and raisins, which, of course, are in abundance at this time of year.

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If your dog raids the grapes from the festive fruit bowl or snaffles a mince pie, veterinary surgeon Sophie Bell says to “Get them straight to a vet”. “Never sit and wait as it can take several days for symptoms to show and by that time, they could be in acute kidney failure.”

The problem is that some owners are unaware that grapes, raisins, and sultanas are toxic. “Sometimes dogs get them in fruit and nut chocolate where the owner is more concerned about the chocolate - but I’m more concerned about the fruit!” says Sophie.

As if the hidden dangers of a figgy pudding weren’t enough, these are a few other toxic treats we see claims for:

• Onions - All parts of raw and cooked onions can be poisonous to dogs, so don’t let them finish off the sage stuffing or any other oniony Christmas fare. Other members of the onion family - spring onions garlic and chives - are also toxic, so don’t give them a taste of the Boursin either.

• Chocolate - Most owners now know that dogs shouldn’t have chocolate, but make sure selection boxes are stored out of reach and be careful of kids trying to share treats with their furry best friend. You can get ‘chocolate’ dog treats that contain carob instead, which is safe.

• Painkillers - Ok, not so much a treat, more a consequence of overindulgence. But if you’ve turned to paracetamol or ibuprofen to soothe a post-party head, make sure you put the pack back in the medicine cupboard. Just a few pills can be incredibly toxic to dogs, especially smaller ones.

• Mince pies - Can dogs eat mince pies? No, mince pies are dangerous for dogs. The raisins, currants, and sultanas used in mince pies are highly toxic to dogs and can cause kidney failure.

• Christmas pudding - Like mince pies, these are full of fruit like raisins and sultanas, which can result in kidney failure.

• Christmas dinner - Now, this depends on what's on it, but take care feeding your dog scraps - things like gravy are too full of salt, and pet obesity is a real problem.

• Stuffing - Can dogs eat stuffing? No, stuffing often contains onions, which are toxic to dogs.

How to prevent poisoning and accidents

Accidents happen, but there are things you can do to prevent them.

• Supervise your dog – Make sure your dog isn’t able to snatch food from plates or countertops.

• Secure hazardous items – Keep toxic foods, decorations, and small objects out of your pet’s reach.

• Use a crate or puppy pen – If you have a particularly curious or accident-prone dog, make good use of a crate or puppy pen when you can’t supervise them.

Keep your pet safe this holiday season

You don’t want to exclude your pet from the season’s merrymaking, but it is possible to have fun and keep them safe at the same time.

Now you know the Christmas dangers for cats and dogs, you can take steps to keep your cat in the house at night and your dog out of the kitchen while you’re cooking.

Our pet insurance gives our customers access to unlimited video vet calls, 365 days a year – so if you do have any health concerns for your furry family members while your vet’s closed for Christmas, you can get help and advice at any time of the day or night.

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