We’re all getting a little excited for the festive season but here are our top tips on how to keep your pup safe.
Did you know Holly & Mistletoe is poisonous to cats and dogs?
Feel free to have a little read of some facts and tips that could save your dogs life over the Christmas period.
- When it comes to Christmas trees, the sap of a fir tree has a low level toxicity. If consumed by your dog, look out for vomiting and diarrhoea. Sap can be found in the fir needles and on the wood of a natural tree.
- Fir needles can be deadly and cause irritation if consumed, or even rubbed under dog paws. Many can be sharp and strong enough to perforate a dog’s stomach and intestine. Avoid this by vacuuming as much as you can and reducing the risk of dropping needles by watering your tree more often to reduced needle drop.
- Keep your water tree stand covered if you can & avoid letting your dog lick it!
- Hang baubles, tinsel and other Christmas decorations higher than your dog can reach. Why you ask? There’s no way you want your dog ingesting any of that!
- Try to avoid Chocolate decorations, yes dogs will and can eat it whole. Foil included.
- Tape down any loose wires (this includes excess fairy lights) to avoid dogs and puppies from chewing on it.
- Mistletoe isn’t the only fauna poisonous to dogs, watch out for Poinsettia too.
Of course we love to include our dogs in a good ol’ Christmas dinner, but some very traditional festive foods can be extremely poisonous and unhealthy for your dog.
- Raisins are lethal to dog and can cause a type of toxicity that sometimes leads to kidney failure. That means no mince pieces, no fruit cakes and definitely no Christmas puddings.
- It’s a not to chocolate. Chocolate intoxication is commonly seen around the Christmas holidays and we know it’s delicious! Just for humans only if you can.
- Christmas dinner is for humans, not for dogs! We know you want to share it with your best friend, but many of the ingredients continue to be toxic to dogs, just an example that can be: Nuts, onions, garlic & raisins. Try an alternative Christmas dinner for them – think plain boiled turkey and plain raw vegetables.
- Cooked bones and small bones should never be given to your dog. Cooked bones can splinter and cause damage or perforation to the throat and oesophagus. Get a recommendation from the vet when giving bones and if anything look out for large raw bones such as beef joints.
We hope these tips helped, keep your dog safe throughout the festive season. Happy & healthy is the way to go.
