What not to feed your dog this Christmas

Many of us love to indulge over Christmas, and it can be very tempting to include your dog in the Christmas cheer. Unfortunately, many of our Christmas favourites can make our dogs sick.

Keep out of reach of pets:

• Ham bones
• Chocolate
• Grapes and raisins/sultanas (and fruit cakes/mince pies/Christmas puddings)
• Nuts (especially macadamia nuts)
• Sausages, bacon, pork crackling (all fatty foods that can potentially trigger pancreatitis)
• Nutmeg (egg nog)
• Peach, plum and mango seeds (choking/intestinal obstruction hazard)
• Alcohol
• Onions and garlic (and stuffing)
• Avocados (both the fruit and the seed)

Don’t fall into the trap of saying, “I give my dog the ham bone every year and he’s fine.” While that may be the case, that does not mean that your dog, or your friend’s dog or your parents’ new puppy will be fine this Christmas. That approach is testing fate and not recommended. Save the ham bone for some pea and ham soup.

Dogs have only approximately 20% of the taste buds that humans have, so they are much less discriminating as to what they think is delicious. If you want to treat your dog this Christmas, there are many safer alternatives that they will love. Some natural yoghurt over the top of their regular food will be just as special for them, without risking your dog’s life.

Although not a human food, rawhide is another Christmas danger. It is often marketed as a dog treat, brightly coloured in red and green for a special Christmas treat. Rawhide is a waste product from the leather industry, treated with chemicals, not digestible and may lead to intestinal obstructions if swallowed.

For a guide to a range of healthy treats, refer to your vet or your local pet store.