Alcohol, blue cheese and turkey bones amongst 10 Christmas foods unsafe for your pets
Some common Christmas foods can make your pet seriously ill, so it is important to know which ones should be avoided.
Animal health specialists at OurFitPets have put together a list of common Christmas foods that can cause serious health problems for cats and dogs, as well as advice on what you should do if your furry friend accidentally eats any of these foods.
Christmas foods you should not give to cats and dogs:
- Christmas pudding
- Mince pies
- Sage and onion stuffing
- Onion gravy
- Chocolate
- Macadamia nuts
- Blue cheese
- Alcohol
- Turkey bones and fat
- Mouldy foods
Be careful what you feed your pets over Christmas. Picture: DGS
Christmas pudding and mince pies
These common Christmas treats contain dried fruits such as raisins, sultanas and currents, all of which are particularly toxic for cats and dogs and can cause kidney failure if consumed. Signs that your pet has poisoning from these foods include vomiting, increased thirst and urinating less frequently than normal.
Safe and onion stuffing and onion gravy
Any foods that contain vegetables of the allium variety should be off the menu for cats or dogs. This includes fresh and powered forms of aromatics such as onions, garlic, shallots, leeks and chives, which are frequently found in Christmas stuffing and gravy.
These vegetables all contain a compound called N-propyl disulfide which is damaging to your pet’s red blood cells and can cause them to develop anaemia. Signs of allium poisoning in pets includes diarrhoea, stomach pain, as well as presenting as fatigued, weak or off their regular food.
Chocolate
Chocolate can be particularly toxic for cats and dogs as it contains a compound called theobromine, which animals can’t metabolise easily, and causes overstimulation of their muscles, including their heart.
Chocolate can be particularly toxic for cats and dogs.
Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are the worst offenders as they contain the highest levels of theobromine, while white chocolate is the least harmful as it…
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