Humanimal Trust wants everyone, and your companion animals, to have a safe and enjoyable Christmas. To help with this, we are sharing some information from a recent article by the British Veterinary Association. The article covers the potential risks to pets from human foods and activities during Christmas. https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/news-article/avoid-these-festive-pet-perils-for-a-calmer-christmas-warn-uk-vets/
Chocolate, dried fruits, onion, garlic, and decorations like holly or mistletoe can be dangerous or fatal to pets. The BVA highly recommends keeping all tempting treats, decorations, and anything else that a pet might mistake for food out of their reach to avoid an emergency visit to the vet.
The BVA strongly advises being vigilant and taking essential precautions to keep your pets happy and healthy during the festive period. They also recommend keeping pets on their regular diets and avoiding feeding them human food. If you suspect your pet has eaten something they shouldn’t, you should contact your vet as soon as possible.
During Christmas 2021-22, 76% of vets reported seeing cases of chocolate-based poisoning in dogs, with 69% becoming ill after eating raisins or sultanas. 19% of cases reported by vets were related to the artificial sweetener xylitol, while gifts for humans (14%) or pets (12%) also caused problems.
Although many cases involve dogs, more than one in four vets (27%) also reported seeing cases of toxic ingestion in cats. Among the most common substances found in cats were holly or mistletoe (18%), foreign bodies (13%), or antifreeze (7%).
We hope this information helps you and your furry friends have a safe and enjoyable Christmas, free from any unplanned visits to the vet.