As we get ready to enter October, it becomes appropriate to mention the c-word – Christmas. While most people dream of delicious food and parties, it’s important to remember that even though we love to spoil our pooch pals, it might not necessarily be in their best interest.

Food that humans love to enjoy and indulge in has the potential to be dangerous and even lethal to dogs, and Christmas is a time of year where there is much more around than usual and plenty of distractions for pesky pooches to take advantage of to eat what they shouldn’t.

Festive favourites that are harmful to pooches include:

Christmas pudding and mince pies

These include currants, sultanas and raisins which can cause kidney failure in pooches even in small quantities.

Alcohol

While (we hope) that you wouldn’t even consider leaving your favourite tipples around for your dog to snaffle; food at Christmas could contain high quantities of alcohol. In severe cases, alcohol can result in low body temperature, low blood sugar and even a coma.

Chocolate decorations

Chocolate seems to be everywhere around the holidays, and while most pet owners know the danger of giving chocolate to dogs, it’s easy to leave it lying around. Chocolate is a popular gift at Christmas, and what’s a stocking without a bag of chocolate coins? However, be sure to keep any food items well out of sight and scent of your pooch.

The below image (courtesy of GoCompare) illustrates some foods which can be found all year round that are dangerous to dogs.

Now, we know only too well that accidents happen and dogs have the habit of getting in places they shouldn’t. If your pet does ingest something that has the potential to be dangerous, contact your vet immediately. The quicker you can get a diagnosis, the quicker your pet can be helped and the damage can be limited.

Remember, your veterinary surgery might be closed over the Christmas period, so make sure you keep the emergency contact number safe and double check the opening hours.