Christmas is an exciting time for us to overindulge in all our favourite foods and it is only natural for pet owners to want to involve their beloved fur babies. However, before you give any leftovers to your pets, make sure that the seasonal snacks are safe for them to eat and won’t cause any toxic reactions.

 

Lots of delicious festive foods are actually toxic and highly dangerous to our pets.

Consuming any of the below can make them unwell:

- Chocolate

- Mince pies

- Christmas pudding

- Alcohol

- Carbonated drinks

- Onion gravy

- Bones

- Cheeseboards (cheese, grapes, raisins etc.)

- Crisps

- Stuffing

- Nuts

- Bread

- Yorkshire puddings

- Crackers

- Icecream

- Trifle

 

If you do want to treat your pets at Christmas, you could plate up a small traditional Christmas dinner for them.

- Meat: Lean cooked meats are fine, if they are skinless and boneless. The skin has a high fat content and the bones pose a choking hazard.

- Gravy: Plain gravy is tasty to dogs, but it does have a high salt and fat content. Only give a very small amount, or substitute it for a gravy-flavoured dog food.

- Pigs in blankets: These are very tasty to pets but they do hold a high salt and fat content so only a maximum of one should be given.

- Vegetables: Vegetables are tasty to pets, although they don’t hold much nutritional value. Be aware that giving too many can cause excessive wind and diarrhoea!

- Potatoes: Mashed or boiled potatoes are perfectly fine for pets to eat, as long as you haven’t added too much salt or butter. Only feed these in small portions as dogs may find it difficult to digest all the starch.

 

Ultimately, ordinary dog food is definitely safer and has more nutritional value. If you do want to give your pets a little festive treat, you should fully research the food first and ensure it won’t pose a health risk to them. Any foods given to them should be given in moderation, and their meal should be topped up with their ordinary food to ensure they are still consuming the right amount of nutrients.