With Christmas just around the corner, our thoughts turn to parties, presents, decorations and the one true meaning of Christmas – the food! There’s something very special about all sitting down together on Christmas Day to eat with the whole family, and this includes our four-legged friends. With 68% of UK pet owners buying Christmas presents for their pets, it’s clear that as a nation we humanise our pets and want them to feel included.
But as much as we love our pets, and as much as they try to convince us that they should be given their own portion of whatever it is we’re eating, not everything we eat is suitable for them and not everything that is harmful is obvious, for example, have you ever wondered if your dog can eat sweetcorn? The Kennel Club says that “In December, dogs are 75 per cent more likely to be treated by a vet for eating human food that is poisonous to them, compared to any other month of the year” and, according to The Insurance Emporium’s data, claims for food-related poisoning (including chocolate & raisins) were up 22% year on year during the 2023 festive period [1].
While most of the food we eat over the Christmas period might seem harmless to us, a lot of it contains things that could make our pets ill, so let’s take a look at our traditional Christmas food.
PEAS ON EARTH – THE CHRISTMAS DINNER
Don’t give them turkey bones – chewing on a bone can cause serious problems for our pets. Cooked bones are weaker after cooking so can splinter easily, and those splinters can damage the mouth, throat and stomach and even cause a blockage. Raw bones aren’t much better as they run the risk of salmonella.
Do give them plain turkey/chicken breast, it’s full of protein which helps them build muscle and keeps them fuller for longer. It also contains Omega 6 fatty acids to help keep their skin and coat healthy. They can even have a bit of homemade cranberry sauce to go with it, made from cranberries and water as bought cranberry sauce could be too sweet.
Don’t give them stuffing and gravy, both of these contain ingredients from the allium family; which includes onions, garlic, shallots, leeks and chives which are found in stuffing and often used to flavour gravy. While they add flavour for us humans, they contain N-propyl disulfide, which can damage our pets’ red blood cells and cause anaemia.
Do check the ingredients of any tin/sachet of gravy and buy a reduced-salt version if possible. Even better, give them a little home-made gravy made from the meat juices with no added seasoning.
Don’t give them roast potatoes or pigs in blankets, these tend to be too fatty and starchy for them to digest.
Do give them plain, unseasoned mashed potato and veg such as peas, broccoli, cauliflower, swede and red cabbage. Parsnips in particular are packed with vitamins C and K and fibre; they are also low calorie so great for those pooches whose New Year resolution is to drop a few pounds.
PURRFECT SNACKS AND DESSERTS
Don’t give them Christmas pudding, Christmas cake or mince pies as they contain a lot of dried fruit such as raisins, sultanas and currants, all of which can be toxic for animals and can cause kidney failure. Some animals can eat a large amount without any effect, while others can become ill after just a tiny amount, so it’s best to avoid them altogether.
Do give them their own prawn cocktail. Cooked, chopped up prawns without any seasoning are a great source of protein and essential fatty acids, they might even like a bit of crispy iceberg lettuce!
Don’t give them chocolate and sweets. For us humans, as soon as the Christmas tree goes up, that’s our green light to start on the chocolate – wrapping presents? Have a chocolate. King’s speech? Have a chocolate? Getting out of bed? Have a chocolate, etc etc. But cats and dogs struggle to metabolise it because of a toxic compound called theobromine. Dark chocolate has a higher concentration, but even white chocolate should be avoided because of the high fat and sugar content. Sweets are also full of sugar and often also contain sweeteners such as Xylitol, which can be toxic for dogs. Interesting fact: cats can’t taste sweet things; they only have 470 taste buds, compared to 1,700 in dogs and 9,000 in humans, but because they don’t need carbs in their diet, they don’t need to recognise sweetness in food.
Do give them a satsuma; they’ll get a boost of vitamin C, and you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing they’re included in your festive feast. Make sure you remove the peel and seeds, and if they haven’t had one before, introduce it slowly.
Don’t give them nuts. They may be nutritious for us, and are packed with protein, fibre, vitamins and healthy fats, but they can be harmful for pets. They could be a choking hazard, have too much salt and fat and be hard to digest. The shells could damage the intestines and some nuts, such as macadamia and walnuts, are toxic to pets.
Do give them Brussels sprouts. Whatever you might think about them, dogs do love a sprout and they’re full of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Just make sure you steam or boil them and chop them up so they’re not a choking hazard.
Don’t stand downwind of them after they’ve eaten the sprouts.
MISTLETOE AND WHINE
There’s often more alcohol around over the festive period but it’s important to keep it out of reach of cats and dogs; they absorb alcohol much quicker than we do and are more sensitive to the effects – it can even result in seizures or a coma. Try not to leave glasses unattended and clear up any spillages straight away; while you might think your pet wouldn’t be attracted to the smell/taste of alcohol, some drinks are creamy and sugary, and some dogs will just eat anything!
Christmas trees can often be a problem with excited pets around, and pine needles can get stuck in paws and can cause an upset stomach if swallowed. A tall majesty palm could be a good alternative, they can grow quite high and are sturdy enough to hang a few decorations on. And while we all love a festive plant, some can be toxic for dogs, particularly:
- Poinsettia
- Mistletoe
- Holly
- Ivy
- Pot pourri
A pinstripe calathea, with its distinct pink striped leaves can add a splash of colour instead.
WHAT IF YOU SUSPECT YOUR PET HAS EATEN SOMETHING IT SHOULDN’T?
If you think your pet has eaten something it shouldn’t it’s better to be safe than sorry and call your vet as soon as possible, even if they’ve only eaten a small amount and aren’t showing any symptoms.
If you can, take any packaging/labels of anything you think your pet may have eaten, and try to have as accurate an idea as possible about how much they ate, and when they ate it. Don’t try to make your pet sick as this could make their symptoms worse.
DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS
There’s no need for our pets to miss out over Christmas, as long as we stay vigilant. Pets are notorious for sniffing out leftovers, dropped food, advent calendars and food gifts under the tree, however well they’re wrapped!
The festive period can be a stressful time for our pets as their humans are in a different routine – the TV is on constantly and they’re all having chocolates for breakfast – so it’s important to keep it as stress-free as possible, stick to their feeding and exercise routine and remember, they don’t know it’s Christmas. Things like dressing your pet up might seem fun for us but may not be for them.
As pet owners we want to do everything in our power to protect them and keep them safe, and one way to do this is to consider insuring your cat or dog. We offer a range of policies, with different cover levels, so you can tailor them to fit you, your pet and your budget. Give us a call or visit the website and get a free, no-strings quote today.
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[1] Data provided is from The Insurance Emporium’s internal data using paid claims ranging from 01.11.22 – 31.01.23 versus paid claims ranging from 01.11.23 – 31.01.24.
