{"id":42153,"date":"2024-12-03T07:56:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-03T06:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/c9408158-1fdf-4c9e-999a-0f417317f2c2"},"modified":"2024-12-03T09:26:40","modified_gmt":"2024-12-03T08:26:40","slug":"christmas-can-be-a-hazardous-and-dangerous-time-for-pets-heres-why","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/christmas-can-be-a-hazardous-and-dangerous-time-for-pets-heres-why\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas can be a hazardous and dangerous time for pets. Here’s why"},"content":{"rendered":"

From chocolate to tinsel, Christmas is full of dangers for pets. Here are 10 to watch for <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 03 December 2024 at 06:56 AM<\/p>

\n\n

At Christmas-time\u00a0many\u00a0households\u00a0stock\u00a0up on extra treats and drinks\u00a0to help them celebrate the festive season, but it\u2019s important pet owners\u00a0are\u00a0aware that many of these can\u00a0be\u00a0toxic and potentially fatal for our\u00a0pets, says veterinary surgeon Nicholas Burrell.<\/strong><\/p>

Christmas hazards pet owners should watch for<\/h2>
Chocolate<\/h3>
Chocolate<\/a> is one of the biggest hazards pets can face at Christmas and vets see more cases of dangerous chocolate poisoning cases in the run up to Christmas than at any other time of year. Chocolate\u00a0should not be fed to pets because it contains a substance called theobromine\u00a0that dogs cannot break down.<\/p>
Alcohol<\/strong><\/h3>
Alcoholic drinks and food containing alcohol have similar side effects to humans and can cause serious liver damage.<\/p>
Cooked bones<\/h3>
Turkey, chicken, lamb, beef and pork bones that\u00a0have been\u00a0cooked splinter easily and can perforate your dog\u2019s stomach. They are dangerous and should never be fed to a dogs.<\/p>
Holly\u00a0berries<\/h3>
Holly berries <\/a> can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive salivation\u00a0(drooling<\/a>)\u00a0and weakness in dogs.<\/p>

Holly’s enduring connection to Christmas: Unravelling its historical roots<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
Mistletoe\u00a0<\/h3>
Mistletoe<\/a> causes stomach problems and may cause skin irritations.<\/p>
Poinsettia<\/h3>
These popular Christmas plants are toxic to cats and can cause vomiting, excessive salivation\u00a0(drooling), loss of appetite, lethargy and depression.\u00a0<\/p>
Sugar-free sweets and mints\u00a0<\/h3>
Xylitol is\u00a0an artificial sweetener\u00a0used\u00a0in\u00a0sugar-free\u00a0mints and sweets but can cause\u00a0vomiting, drowsiness, collapse and fits in dogs.<\/p>
Aspirin, paracetamol\u00a0and Ibuprofen<\/h3>
Boxing Day hangover cures could be fatal if swallowed by your pet.\u00a0<\/p>
Antifreeze\u00a0<\/h3>
Make sure your cat doesn\u2019t mop up any spills of\u00a0antifreeze if there\u2019s snow and ice. They like the sweet taste, but it is highly toxic and most often fatal\u00a0without immediate treatment.<\/p>
Batteries<\/h3>
Batteries left on the floor or in toys that an unsupervised dog may chew can cause serious\u00a0harm.<\/p>
Tinsel\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>
Cats may enjoy chasing tinsel or decorations that contain wires,\u00a0but\u00a0swallowing them\u00a0can lead to obstructions in the bowel.<\/p>

How pet owners can be more sustainable, improve pet welfare – and save money – from veterinary surgeon Justine Shotton<\/a><\/li>
Help your pet live longer – and happier – with these 5 expert tips from veterinary surgeon Pete Wedderburn<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>

Nicholas Burrell\u00a0BVetMed MRCVS is clinical director of\u00a0 Abbey Veterinary Group<\/a> in Derbyshire. His main interests are\u00a0dentistry and\u00a0ultrasound\u00a0and he carries out the majority of scans at the practice.\u00a0Nick owns four rescue cats and a pony.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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Cooked bones<\/h3> Turkey, chicken, lamb, beef and pork bones that\u00a0have been\u00a0cooked splinter easily and can perforate your dog\u2019s stomach. They are dangerous and should never be fed to a dogs.<\/p>

Mistletoe\u00a0<\/h3> Mistletoe<\/a> causes stomach problems and may cause skin irritations.<\/p>

Sugar-free sweets and mints\u00a0<\/h3> Xylitol is\u00a0an artificial sweetener\u00a0used\u00a0in\u00a0sugar-free\u00a0mints and sweets but can cause\u00a0vomiting, drowsiness, collapse and fits in dogs.<\/p>

Aspirin, paracetamol\u00a0and Ibuprofen<\/h3> Boxing Day hangover cures could be fatal if swallowed by your pet.\u00a0<\/p>

Antifreeze\u00a0<\/h3> Make sure your cat doesn\u2019t mop up any spills of\u00a0antifreeze if there\u2019s snow and ice. They like the sweet taste, but it is highly toxic and most often fatal\u00a0without immediate treatment.<\/p>

Batteries<\/h3> Batteries left on the floor or in toys that an unsupervised dog may chew can cause serious\u00a0harm.<\/p>

Cooked bones<\/h3>
Turkey, chicken, lamb, beef and pork bones that\u00a0have been\u00a0cooked splinter easily and can perforate your dog\u2019s stomach. They are dangerous and should never be fed to a dogs.<\/p>

Mistletoe\u00a0<\/h3>
Mistletoe<\/a> causes stomach problems and may cause skin irritations.<\/p>

Sugar-free sweets and mints\u00a0<\/h3>
Xylitol is\u00a0an artificial sweetener\u00a0used\u00a0in\u00a0sugar-free\u00a0mints and sweets but can cause\u00a0vomiting, drowsiness, collapse and fits in dogs.<\/p>

Aspirin, paracetamol\u00a0and Ibuprofen<\/h3>
Boxing Day hangover cures could be fatal if swallowed by your pet.\u00a0<\/p>

Antifreeze\u00a0<\/h3>
Make sure your cat doesn\u2019t mop up any spills of\u00a0antifreeze if there\u2019s snow and ice. They like the sweet taste, but it is highly toxic and most often fatal\u00a0without immediate treatment.<\/p>

Batteries<\/h3>
Batteries left on the floor or in toys that an unsupervised dog may chew can cause serious\u00a0harm.<\/p>