A Happy Christmas to all
Stanley House Clients!
Written by Helen Pratt BVSc MRCVS & Mairead Kilbride
MVB MRCVS
Common Christmas Hazards & Poisons
Seasonal merriment with a few extras for us, and a few extras for our 4-legged friends is to be
expected (we do have edible rawhide Xmas cards available at some surgeries- please ask for
details).
But some extras are best avoided, some well-known, some not so. Enjoy the hypothetical carol
from the unlucky dog below and take notes......
On the first day of Christmas my owner gave to me:- a chocolate bar for my tea......
Unfortunately, due to the chemical (theobromine) in chocolate that dogs are unable to process, this can lead to
vomiting, tremors, convulsions and possibly kidney failure. Dark chocolate is the worst offender as it has the highest
cocoa content.
On the second day of Christmas my owner gave to me:- a mince pie.....
Grapes, currants, raisins and sultanas all are toxic to dogs, and can lead to sickness, diarrhoea and kidney failure.
As little as 5 grapes have been known to be a fatally toxic amount to a small dog. Avoid the Xmas cake, Xmas pud
and chocolate raisins!
On the third day of Christmas my owner gave to me:- macadamia nuts.....
Known to be mildly toxic, may cause abdominal pain and other gut signs.
On the fourth day of Christmas my owner gave to me:- a cake with artificial sweeteners.....
Unfortunately one of these products, Xylitol, is a nasty. It causes the dog's blood sugar to drop dramatically and can
lead to seizures, or can also cause liver failure.
On the fifth day of Christmas my owner gave to me:- a nice bowl of onion gravy....
Onions, garlic, and leeks (the Allium family) can lead to sickness and diarrhoea, but more seriously can damage
red blood cells leading to anaemia. Japanese and Korean breeds are particularly susceptible.
On the sixth day of Christmas my owner gave to me:- a full Christmas dinner…
See above notes re onions. As for the rest, not a terrible idea but beware that a high fat meal containing a load of
food types that your dog is not used to may well lead to some unpleasant consequences the next day in the bowel
department. It may also be a trigger for a bout of pancreatitis if a high fat meal is given.
On the seventh day of Christmas my owner gave to me:- access to the bin...
Obviously not going to done intentionally, but beware those enticing smells of the turkey carcass may become too
much, and cause a raid! Most of these bones do pass through but an occasional obstruction always turns up after the
Xmas feast.
Colne 01282 863892, Barnoldswick 01282 852390,
Burnley 01282 421215, Nelson 01282 616650 Email: liz@stanleyhousevets.co.uk
On the eighth day of Christmas my owner gave to me:- a corn on the cob…
Often from the buffet section post-christmas gatherings (more commonly seen in summer though) but probably one
of our most common intestinal obstruction culprits.
On the ninth day of Christmas my owner gave to me:- a lovely bunch of lilies. Being a dog
I'm fine, but the next door's cat came round......
Causes severe kidney failure in cats. Other plants are also best avoided- poinsettias, hyacinths, ivy, holly,
mistletoe can cause sickness and diarrhoea, if leaves or berries are ingested.
On the tenth day of Christmas my owner gave to me:-access to antifreeze/screen wash…
This unfortunately has a sweet taste and the ethylene glycol in these products is converted to a severely toxic
chemical causing irreversible kidney damage. Initially some twitching and sickness can be seen, and some can be
saved at this point, but once the kidneys show damage the prognosis is hopeless. Keep all these products out of
harms way and ensure any spillages are mopped up in-case a neighbour's pet finds access....
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my owner gave to me:- some pretty tinsel.....
Cats in particular love playing games under the tree. Tinsel can cause really nasty bunching up of the intestines if
swallowed. Baubles, for some reason, are occasionally eaten, splintered up and swallowed and may cause irritation,
perforation or obstructions. Your dog may also get a nasty shock if they chew through the electrical cable for your
Christmas lights! The needles from the tree can also be a hazard, getting stuck into paws. Sweep up regularly.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my owner gave to me:- nothing - they had a hangover, so I
helped myself to some of their remedies...
Beware!! Ensure you don't leave any packets of painkiller pills; ibuprofen in particular is highly toxic, and will
cause renal failure. Paracetamol in cats is invariably fatal causing liver failure.
Phew!! Thankfully hypothetical only, but make sure your Christmas doesn't have to involve an
unnecessary vet visit. We know it can be difficult to be strong and avoid the big pleading eyes
watching your every mouthful (usually accompanied by some drool - nice) begging; "Can I have
some?” And I'm not talking about your spouse or partner here, although there can be similarities.
BE CAREFUL what you give your pets over Christmas. The best advice is, not to give anything
other than their normal diet, as anything else can cause tummy upsets and possibly a costly out of
hours trip to the vets. If in doubt, ring us (01282 863892); we provide a 24 hour emergency service
through the Christmas period, as we do all year round, based at our surgery in Colne.
Once again,
Merry Christmas to
one and all!!!
Colne 01282 863892, Barnoldswick 01282 852390,
Burnley 01282 421215, Nelson 01282 616650 Email: liz@stanleyhousevets.co.uk