Christmas is such a special time of year, but with our homes full of food, drink, presents and decorations there are hazards around every corner for our furry friends!
Here a list of ten hazards to be especially aware of at this time of year:
1. Chocolate
With lots of tempting chocolate treats around at Christmas, its no wonder vets see a spike in cases of chocolate poisoning in dogs at this time of year. Chocolate is also toxic to cats as well if they are curious enough to eat it! Chocolate contains theobromine which can causes vomiting, abdominal pain, excitability, incoordination and tremoring. The biggest concern however is the effect that chocolate has on our pet’s hearts; and it can cause a very rapid heart rate and an abnormal heart rhythm. Different chocolates contain different levels of theobromine with dark chocolate, cocoa powder and cocoa beans containing the highest levels.
2. Mince pies and Christmas cake
All grapes, raisins, currants, and sultanas are toxic to dogs and can result in kidney failure. There is no set toxic dose for dogs meaning that even eating just one grape could be dangerous for your dog.
3. Tinsel and other decorations
Dogs and cats enjoy playing with all the glittery, sparkly decorations that appear around the house during December. Eating decorations, especially tinsel and ribbons, can cause vomiting due to damage to the gut and can result in serious blockages in the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Garlic, onions and chives
All members of the allium family, which includes garlic, onions, leeks and chives are toxic to dogs. The most common signs are vomiting, abdominal discomfort and diarrhoea but the organosulphoxides in these plants can also cause anaemia.
5. Christmas plants
Many of the plants we bring into our homes during Christmas, including poinsettias, mistletoe, holly and ivy are all toxic to our pets if chewed or ingested. The most common clinical signs seen are vomiting, diarrhoea, hypersalivation and inappetence.
6. Christmas Lights
Christmas lights are most likely to catch the attention of our feline friends and if chewed or played with can result in painful burns and electrocution.
7. Fatty foods
We all love to spoil our pets, especially at Christmas but allowing our pets to overindulge can result in some very upset tummies. A lot of the foods in our Christmas dinner are cooked with fats and oils and large quantities of fatty foods can trigger pancreatitis in dogs and cats. Pancreatitis is a painful condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed. The most common signs are lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
8. Macadamia nuts
Macadamia nuts appear in a lot of cookies, cakes and other baked goods. If eaten by our dogs they can cause weakness, vomiting, lameness, pain and neurological signs.
9. Alcohol
Alcohol is toxic to dogs and cats, and even small amounts can cause clinical signs. Vomiting, diarrhoea, excitability, staggering, confusion and behavioural changes can all be seen following alcohol ingestion.
10. Batteries
With lots of new toys, games and gadgets to play with, there is usually a few batteries that end up scattered around the floor. Batteries can be very harmful to our pets, especially if they are chewed enough to release the chemicals inside. Batteries can cause gut obstructions and burns in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract.
If you are worried your pet could have ingested or been exposed to any of these hazards, please contact a vet immediately. Remember the Vet on the Net team is here for you if you have any concerns at all, and our highly trained and experienced vets can give you advice on whether you need to go straight to the vets for emergency treatment or if its safe to monitor your pet at home.
From everyone here at Vet on the Net we wish you a very merry and safe Christmas.
Author Dr Louise Abuzet BVM&S CertAVP(ECC) CertAVP (ZooMed) BSc(HONS) MRCVS
RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Emergency and Critical Care
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