As most pet lovers will agree, our furry family members are a part of every memory we make, so below are reminders on how to keep them healthy and safe during holiday celebrations!
It may be tempting to offer your pet the same delicious food you are preparing and enjoying but doing so may cause severe problems for your furry friend.
Did you know the following foods are unsafe?
| Alcoholic Beverages | Can cause intoxication, coma, or death |
| Avocado | The leaves, seeds, fruit, and bark contain persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea |
| Bones from Fish, Poultry, or other meat sources | Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system |
| Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine | Contains caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea and be toxic to the heart and the nervous systems |
| Fat Trimmings | Can cause pancreatitis |
| Grapes, raisins, and currants | Contains an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys |
| Human vitamin supplements containing iron | Can be irritating and caustic to the GI tract leading to vomiting, diarrhea and, in high doses, can cause liver damage |
| Macadamia Nuts | Contains an unknown toxin which can affect the digestive system, nervous system, and muscles |
| Milk and other dairy products | Some adult dogs can develop diarrhea or vomiting if given large amounts of dairy products |
| Mushrooms | Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock and result in death |
| Onions and Garlic (raw, cooked or powder) | Contains sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia |
| Persimmons | Seeds can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis |
| Pits from peaches or plums | Can cause obstruction of the digestive tract |
| Raw Eggs | Contains an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin which can lead to skin and hair problems |
| Raw Meat | May contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E Coli which can cause vomiting and diarrhea |
| Salts | If eaten in large quantities, it may lead to electrolyte imbalances |
| Sugary Foods | Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus |
| Table Scraps (in large amounts) | Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced and can lead to a variety of health problems |
| Tobacco | Contains nicotine which affects the digestive and nervous systems and can result in rapid heartbeat, collapse, coma and death |
| Yeast Dough | Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines |
| Xylitol (artificial sweeteners) | Artificial sweeteners are incredibly toxic to dogs, particularly Xylitol. |
If your pet has eaten any of these foods and is displaying any of the symptoms described, please consult your vet or an animal poison control center like ASPCA – https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control immediately for assistance. Information gathered is from the Tidewater Trader, Chestertown, MD and various internet resources.
Happy Pet Friendly Holidays!!
Posted: December 21, 2022 by Jill Roggio