Christmas and the festive season: keeping your dog safe
Christmas means more food, more visitors and more changes to routine. Vets see a rise in poisonings and swallowed objects over the festive period, and most of them are avoidable.
Festive foods to keep out of reach
- Chocolate, including selection boxes, tree decorations and advent calendars. Dark and cooking chocolate are the most dangerous.
- Mince pies, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake and stollen. Raisins, sultanas and currants can cause kidney failure, even in small amounts.
- Cooked bones from the turkey, goose or ham. They splinter and can cause choking, tears and blockages.
- Onions, garlic, leeks and chives, often found in stuffing and gravy.
- Sugar-free sweets and gum containing xylitol.
- Alcohol, including in desserts and unattended glasses.
- Fatty leftovers such as skin and pigs in blankets, which can trigger stomach upsets and pancreatitis.
Secure the kitchen bin, clear plates quickly, and ask guests not to feed your dog from the table. Wrapped presents under the tree can contain chocolate, and dogs will find them.
Decorations and gifts
Tinsel, ribbon, baubles, fairy lights and their cables, batteries and small toys can all be chewed or swallowed. Button batteries are especially dangerous. Keep low branches clear, secure the tree, and supervise new toys. Plants such as poinsettia, holly and mistletoe can cause stomach upsets. If you also have cats, keep lilies out of the house altogether, as they are extremely toxic to cats.
Visitors and a busy house
Give your dog a quiet room or den they can retreat to, keep to their usual walk and meal times where possible, and watch doors as guests come and go. Children visiting may not know how to behave around dogs, so supervise them together.
Treat idea: plain cooked turkey meat (no skin, bones or seasoning) or a few raw carrot sticks make safer festive treats in small amounts.
When to contact your vet
- Your dog has eaten chocolate, any grapes or raisins, xylitol, cooked bones, onions or a battery. Call straight away, even if they seem well.
- Your dog is vomiting repeatedly, has a swollen or painful belly, or is straining without passing anything.
Not registered with a vet, or need one out of hours? See our local vets near Horley.
This guide is general information for UK dog owners and is not a substitute for advice from your vet. If you are worried about your dog, contact your vet straight away, or your nearest out-of-hours emergency vet.
