The festive season brings many different indulgences for us humans — but some of those treats are not fit for our furry friends.
Echuca Moama Vet Clinic nurse manager Michelle Medlicott says that giving our dogs scraps and leftovers from the Christmas table can cause more harm than we realise.
“A few days after Christmas, we have dogs presenting with vomiting or diarrhoea because they’ve gotten into food scraps left over from Christmas,” Ms Medlicott said.
“A lot of our traditional Christmas foods are quite high in fat, and dogs are unable to digest that, and it can cause pancreatitis where the dog will be feeling horrible.
“Some of them have gotten into the bin and have scavenged for food, whereas others have been given table scraps and leftovers.
“It’s always the fatty things like pork and ham that are to be avoided to feed your dog.”
Christmas and chocolate usually go hand in hand, but it’s important to remember that chocolate is toxic for dogs.
Ingredients in some of our Christmas favourites are also forbidden, such as grapes, sultanas, raisins, macadamia nuts, garlic, onions and mushrooms.
‘Sugar-free’ products are also completely off-limits to your pets, as they often contain the artificial sweetener xylitol, another toxic ingredient for dogs.
“If your dog ingests them, you should call your vet immediately,” Ms Medlicott said.
“Rawhide treats are potentially a choking hazard, particularly with your power-chewer dogs, ones that really get into their chew toys.”
While some rawhide treats are treated with chemicals to dry them out, Ms Medlicott said their primary dangers came from choking and internal blockages.
“Some dogs chew off big chunks, swallow it, and that can create a blockage that doesn’t digest very well,” she said.
The veterinary team recommends not to feed dogs rawhide treats and toys, which are readily available in Christmas stocking-style parcels at different retailers.
Ms Medlicott recommends pigs’ ears as a happy alternative.
“Pigs’ ears are good. That’s a treat that we recommend you can give your dog, but supervised, especially if they’re young puppies,” she said.
Ms Medlicott also recommends keeping an eye on your cats around the Christmas tree.
“Things like tinsel are particularly dangerous with cats that might chase it and ingest it, and cause a linear foreign body where it gets stuck in the intestines,” she said.
“Cats often love climbing the Christmas tree, so making sure that the tree is secure is another thing you can do for their safety.”
But it’s not all on the naughty list for your fur-babies.
Ms Medlicott recommends the dental cleaning treats ‘Greenies’ for your pooches over six months of age, or strong toys such as Kongs.
“If you want to give your dog something in their stocking, Greenies are good. Dogs generally love those and they help clean their teeth as well,” she said.
“There are good dog’s treats that you can buy — or make yourself, if you’re so inclined — but it’s just about being aware of those dangerous ingredients.
“Making sure your dog’s toys are dog-friendly toys is important: things like Kongs are really good, they’re pretty unbreakable, but if your dog bites off chunks of toys, it’s time to throw them out.”