Tucking into mince pies, advent calendars and a turkey dinner are all part of the fun at Christmas – but Battersea is advising pet owners to be careful when planning a festive feast.
Some human foods can be toxic to dogs and cats and in most extreme cases, some foods can cause serious illness. 
Nicki Draper, Senior Vet at Battersea, comments: “We may not have our Christmas plans finalised yet, but festive food will be on the menu for most of us. We all know our pets can be opportunists when given half the chance but what you may not realise is that some of your favourite foods can make your pet seriously ill, so it’s really important to be extra careful at this time of year.”
Some foods that are toxic to pets include:
Onions, garlic and chives – make sure your dog is kept away from anything that contains onions. Raw or cooked, the onion family can cause gastrointestinal irritation and red blood cell damage. Signs of illness are not always immediate.
Chocolate – a selection box might be a favourite for humans, but for dogs, chocolates are poisonous. In most serious cases, chocolate can cause kidney failure in dogs.
Grapes and raisins – a staple ingredient in a mince pie, raisins can cause severe liver damage and kidney failure in dogs, so keep these away from pets at all times.
Alcohol – for those having a tipple or two, make sure drinks are out of reach. Alcohol has a huge impact on pets, even in small doses. Alcohol can lead to sickness, diarrhoea and can cause damage to the central nervous system.
Cooked meats on the bone – of course, pets also deserve a bit of a treat this Christmas, but if giving your pet cooked meat, avoid cooked bones at all cost. These can easily splinter and in large quantities can be highly dangerous.
Other toxic food include:
- Avocados – a substance in avocados can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs
- Peanut butter – if you are treating your dog to peanut butter, always check that the ingredients do not contain Xylitol. Xylitol can also be found in sugar substitutes like sweeteners and chewing gum.
- Nuts – not all nuts are bad for pets, macadamia nuts especially contain an unknown toxin that can affect your dog’s nervous system. It is also part of the grape family. Always check before feeding your pet anything that might contain nuts.
- Milk (for cats) – most cats are lactose intolerant, so stick with fresh water.
Nicki adds: “Always make sure food is prepared in areas your dog or cat can’t easily reach and never leave any food unsupervised. If your dog or cat has consumed any of these foods, don’t delay – immediately contact your local vet.”
