Do you know what food is safe to give your dog this holiday? What will your dog enjoy and what might just see him at the veterinarian surgery - or worse? There are many everyday foods, as well as other household items that pose a risk for your dog. Read this article and keep your dog healthy and safe.
Watch what you eat this holiday season, particularly if you're a dog. Most of us now know that chocolate is dangerous for our dogs, it contains theobromine and caffeine, which can kill a dog. The effects may not be apparent immediately, but if you suspect your dog has eaten a significant amount of chocolate, get them to a vet to be checked out. The smaller the dog, the smaller the amount of chocolate that is dangerous for them. A guide is around half an ounce of chocolate per pound of body weight, but this varies according to the make and type of the chocolate. If you're a dog, stick to dog chocolate!
As you're preparing your holiday meal, don't be tempted to give any peelings to
your dog - peelings and any green looking bits of potato are dangerous. Onion,
and to a lesser extent garlic, can cause anaemia in dogs. Avoid large amounts
of broccoli too.
Lots of us have fruits and nuts around at this time of year - but store them
away from your four legged friend. Grapes and raisins can prove fatal for dogs
if eaten in a large enough quantity, and some dogs find fruit too acidic for
their digestion. Apple and cherry tree leaves and roots are toxic. Apparently
macadamia nuts can cause severe muscle problems, although effects vary between
dogs.
Even seemingly harmless ingredients like nutmeg can be hallucinogenic. If you
have to use anti-freeze, do so safely. Most dogs like the taste of it, but it
will seriously damage their kidneys. Other items associated with seasonal
festivities, like alcohol, cigars, cigarettes, cocoa, coffee and tea, are all
no-no's for canines.
A Christmas favourite pastime is kissing under the mistletoe, but it may not be
puppy love. A small amount of berries can kill a puppy, and all parts of the
mistletoe plant are dangerous to dogs, so maybe we'll have to find real love
under artificial mistletoe.