Christmas is a great time of year and should be fun for all the family, dogs included.When preparing your Christmas dinner it is fun and a special treat to put some safe bits and pieces by for your dog too, so they can enjoy a special Christmas dinner or treat. Not all food is safe for dogs to eat. Some human food can cause digestive upsets in dogs which is unpleasant but some are far more dangerous and can even result in death.
Common Christmas food dangers for dogs:
a)
Chocolate
Most pet owners are already aware of the chocolate thing, but that doesn’t mean your dog can’t find it. Chocolate can be highly toxic to your dog (or cat), watch where you put these treats.
b) Grapes, raisins, currants, sultanas
These are fatal to dogs, even in small amounts. Seek veterinary help immediately if your dog eats these foods. Some dogs can cope with eating a few but many cannot and you have no idea which way your dog may react so don’t risk it at all.
c)Bones
At this time of year we often cook far more meat joints than usual and this normally results in many more bones lying about. Once cooked all bones become brittle and splinter easily. This can lead to larger fragments getting ‘stuck’ causing obstructions but also smaller pieces can cause gut irritation and perforation or even just difficulty toileting.
d)Onions and Garlic
Usually you would think people wouldn’t give this to their dogs, but dogs can find these. Both onions and garlic can cause gastric irritation and anemia if eaten in large quantities. If they eat stuffing, make sure there isn’t a ton of this inside of it.
There are quite a few human foods to avoid feeding to your dog but there are some yummy staples of a Christmas dinner that your dog can safely eat in moderation.
a)
Potatoes
A tasty festive treat but make sure you only feed your dog plain mashed or boiled potatoes with nothing else added (e.g. salt, butter). Again, moderation is important. Potatoes, no matter how they are prepared or cooked are very starchy, which dogs can struggle to digest.
b)Vegetables
Take it easy with veggies but you can feed your dog some carrot, parsnip, green beans, courgette, Brussel sprouts, broccoli florets (very small amount only), peas, spinach, cauliflower etc... Most green or mixed veg is fine for dogs. If you do a mashed carrot and swede with your Christmas dinner your dog is sure to love that but don’t add butter or seasoning to their portion. Avoid corn on the cob and bulb vegetables such as onions and leeks.
c)Fruit
Can be high in sugar and can also be acidic, which can upset your dog's digestion so give in moderation and remove the pips/stones first. The fruit to avoid is rhubarb. The stalk of the plant and also its leaves are toxic to canines.
d)Eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein, vitamins and minerals and are good for our dog’s health. If you are worried about the salmonella risk of feeding raw eggs, cook them. Scrambled is a great way to cook eggs for your dog, but don’t add milk, butter or salt of course.