Some Christmas food staples may seem harmless but can be seriously dangerous to your dog or cat and make them poorly.
And it's not just harmful foods to watch out for – winter poses its own risks to our beloved companions. Read on for the lowdown on keeping your furry friends safe and healthy during the festive winter season.
Find the best cover for your cat or dog, as rated by our experts. See our guide to the1. Chocolate
It's one of the most well-known no-no food for dogs, but did you know chocolate is just as dangerous for cats too?
Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, a chemical that's toxic to dogs and cats. It can cause agitations, tremors and heart problems.
The darker the chocolate the more potent the theobromine levels become. White chocolate doesn't contain enough to be toxic but it will still make your pet feel sick.
2. Christmas pudding and mince pies
Most festive desserts and snacks are also unsafe for pets.
Foods containing dried vine fruits including currants, sultanas and raisins can cause kidney damage or kidney failure in cats and dogs, even in small quantities. So keep those Christmas puddings, fruit cakes and mince pies away from prying eyes.
– see which comes top in our survey of more than 3,000 dog owners3. Leeks, onions, shallots and chives
Most food belonging to the allium plant family – that includes leeks, onions, shallots and chives – is poisonous to dogs and cats.
These can cause sickness and, more worryingly, damage to their red blood cells, which can lead to anaemia.
Garlic is part of the allium plant family and was also thought to be toxic to dogs, but in small quantities it's not harmful. So if your pet accidentally eats food containing a little bit of garlic, they should be OK.
4. Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweetener xylitol can induce the release of insulin, resulting in low blood sugar and sometimes liver damage.
Xylitol is found in lots of things, including sweets, baked goods and peanut butter. Always check the ingredients before feeding any food to your pet.
– we surveyed more than 1,500 cat owners to see which brand their feline friends prefer5. Animal bones
Thinking of letting your pet chew on the leftover bones from your turkey roast? Think again.
Pieces of bone – particularly cooked bones – are likely to splinter off and can lodge themselves in the oesophagus or cause tissue damage inside the mouth or throat.
You can buy bones for dogs from most pet stores that are much safer for their consumption, but you should always supervise your dog while they chew it, and take it away once you suspect the pieces are getting too small. It's recommended to only give your dog a bone for 10 to 15 minutes at a time to avoid dental abrasion.
What to do if your cat or dog becomes ill
The key to keeping pets safe over Christmas is prevention. But even after all precautions are put in place, pets still sometimes manage to become ill or get injured. It's essential to know what to do in more serious situations.
Other winter hazards to look out for
It's not just food to be wary of. Inquisitive pets can get themselves into all kinds of trouble, especially in the winter.
Antifreeze
Even a small amount of ingested antifreeze (ethylene glycol) can seriously damage your pet's kidneys. Some snow globes contain antifreeze, so take care to display them out of reach, and clear up carefully if one gets broken.
Symptoms may not appear for several days, and include lethargy, vomiting, seizures, and excessive drooling.
Christmas trees and decorations
Real or fake, Christmas trees are a particular risk to curious cats who can climb up the branches and get tangled in tinsel, damage ornaments, or knock the whole thing over.
More worryingly, your pet may try to chew through the electrical wires of fairy lights and seriously hurt themselves – or pose a fire risk.
If you've opted for a real tree this year, be wary of the pine needles. Although they are low toxicity to pets, they can cause stomach upsets and be a sharp choking hazard.
To pet-proof your Christmas tree:
Dangerous festive plants
Although the risk of serious poisoning is low, holly, mistletoe berries, and ivy leaves, which usually make up Christmas wreaths, can cause stomach upset for your pet if ingested.
Luckily, the classic Christmas plant poinsettia – despite a bad reputation – is unlikely to cause them too much harm. It can cause mild gastrointestinal upset in pets, but no more than most other plants.
If you're a fan of lilies, be aware that the leaves and pollen can be extremely toxic to pets, with cats particularly at risk. Lilies from the family 'Lilium' may cause mild stomach upset in dogs but can cause kidney failure in cats.
Winter weather conditions
The winter months can mean icier conditions and poorer visibility, so road and outdoor safety for your pet is very important.
If you're wondering when it's too cold to walk your dog, this will depend on the breed you've got. Small and medium dogs with thin coats will often struggle once the temperature drops below zero (0°C), while bigger dogs with thicker coats can usually withstand slightly colder temperatures.
Need to light up those winter dog walks? Check out the in our testsWhich? Limited is registered in England and Wales to 2 Marylebone Road, London NW1 4DF, company number 00677665 and is an Introducer Appointed Representative of the following: 1. Inspop.com Ltd for the introduction of non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance products (FRN 610689). Inspop.com Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to provide advice and arrange non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance products (FRN310635) and is registered in England and Wales to Greyfriars House, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff, South Wales, CF10 3AL, company number 03857130. Confused.com is a trading name of Inspop.com Ltd. 2. LifeSearch Partners Limited (FRN 656479), for the introduction of Pure Protection Contracts, who are authorised and regulated by the FCA to provide advice and arrange Pure Protection Contracts. LifeSearch Partners Ltd is registered in England and Wales to 3000a Parkway, Whiteley, Hampshire, PO15 7FX, company number 03412386. 3.Optimise Media Limited (FRN 313408), for the introduction of HSBC Group, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to provide credit brokering activity. Optimise Media is registered in England and Wales to Exchange Street Buildings, 35-37 Exchange Street, Norwich, England, NR2 1DP and company number 04455319. We do not make, nor do we seek to make, any recommendations or personalised advice on financial products or services that are regulated by the FCA, as we’re not regulated or authorised by the FCA to advise you in this way. In some cases, however, we have included links to regulated brands or providers with whom we have a commercial relationship and, if you choose to, you can buy a product from our commercial partners. If you go ahead and buy a product using our link, we will receive a commission to help fund our not-for-profit mission and our campaigns work as a champion for the UK consumer. Please note that a link alone does not constitute an endorsement by Which?.
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