Dangerous Christmas foods
keep your pets safe this Christmas
While we are all enjoying the Christmas festivities please keep an eye our what our beloved pets are getting up to and avoid any Christmas time emergencies. Here is a list of some common foods to be extra careful that our pets don’t get access to.
– Best wishes from the Tay Vet Team
CHOCOLATE
Please keep chocolates well out of reach!. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. This includes cooking chocolate. Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine which can cause a racing heart, digestive upsets, seizures and in severe cases, death.
MINCE PIES AND FRUIT CAKES
Dried fruits such as raisins, currants and sultanas are highly toxic, even when cooked. They can cause diarrhoea and vomiting and in the most severe cases, kidney failure.
GRAVY AND STUFFING WITH ONIONS
Gravy can be very fatty and salty and is best avoided. Onions can cause a loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea, lethargy and breathlessness. It may take two to four days before symptoms appear.
TURKEY BONES AND SKIN
Turkey bones can splinter easily and become a choking hazard. Turkey skin is also very fatty and should be avoided.
NUTS
Some nuts are toxic to pets so all nuts should be avoided. Macadamia nuts are the worst. They can cause a fever, tremors and heart palpitations. Nut poisoning can happen very quickly, so these snacks should be confined to humans only.
CHEESE
Cats and dogs struggle to digest lactose so too much cheese can cause upset tummies. Keep cheese boards well out of reach!
ALCOHOL
Alcohol poisoning in animals can be fatal and occur in any animal but cats are especially sensitive.
