These are seven foods you should avoid giving to your pooch this Christmas, according to pet food experts at Canagan. Photos are for illustrative purposes only.
1. Stuffing and bread sauce
Although sage and onion stuffing may be a roast dinner staple, onions, shallots, garlic, leeks and scallions all belong to the allium family, and these plants contain a substance which can harm your dog’s red blood cells. Photo: Shutterstock
2. Turkey bones
Cooked bones can become brittle and can easily splinter, with larger bones presenting a choking hazard and smaller pieces having the potential to irritate the gut or worst. Photo: Shutterstock
3. Chocolate
Chocolate is comes a-plenty at Christmas, but it is highly toxic for dogs. The darker the chocolate, the worse it is. The first signs of chocolate poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea. Photo: Shutterstock
4. Christmas cake, pudding and mince pies
The raisins, currants and sultanas in Christmas treats like mince pies, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding are poisonous to dogs. Consuming these could lead to sickness, diarrhea and kidney failure. Photo: Shutterstock
5. Alcohol
The ethanol in alcohol can hit an animal’s bloodstream faster than humans. If consumed, dogs may seem drowsy and unsteady on their feet, and in more severe cases there’s a risk of seizures and respiratory failure. Photo: Shutterstock
6. Nuts
High fat content in nuts can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. You should not feed your pooch macadamia nuts or black walnuts. Macadamias can cause weakness, lethargy, vomiting, tremors and an increased body temperature. Photo: Shutterstock