When the holidays are here we want our pets to enjoy them as much as we do. We give them gifts just as if they were getting a visit from Father Christmas, too. Extra treats are also on the agenda for your pooch, no doubt.
However, it is important to think about their nutritional needs and not overdo things with human food. You should make sure that you are getting your Pure Pet food delivery on schedule so you don’t run out of their food and become tempted to supplement it with what comes off of your table.
Not only are you setting your dog up for an unhealthy weight gain, but some of the foods we eat at Christmas can be dangerous and even lethal to a dog. It’s important to understand what foods they shouldn’t eat. In this article, we will go over some of the worst foods to give your dog off of your holiday table.
1 – Chocolate
There’s a lot of chocolate flowing freely during the holidays. Since everybody enjoys it, it’s natural to want to give a bite or two to your dog. Unfortunately, as much as we know that they would also love some, it has to be strictly off limits to them.
For starters, it is an unhealthy treat and we need to pay attention to dogs eating only foods that give them some nutritional value. Luckily, there are dog treats that taste good to them and will provide them with what they need. However, it goes beyond chocolate simply being bad because it is full of sugar.
There is a chemical compound in chocolate called methylxanthine alkaloid in addition to caffeine and theobromine. These chemicals are toxic to a dog and can have some serious results. At a minimum there is the likely upset stomach to expect if they ingest a little bit. If the chocolate is dark and they eat too much then the consequences can be much worse.
In many cases, it causes diarrhea and vomiting which can then lead to dehydration. The worst case scenario is heart failure so it is not worth it to give them this kind of treat.
2 – Poultry bones
Dogs love to gnaw on bones so they look forward to the holiday roasts to get themselves a big bone to work on. The problem is that there are also some roasted birds on the table as well as lamb and beef. Those bones are extremely dangerous to your dog. They are sharp and don’t digest.
When they eat these bones, they are easily broken into little bits which they then quickly swallow. Since they don’t dissolve in the stomach, these shards are then passed onto the delicate intestines. Make sure to let your other guests know that the chicken, turkey, or other fowl bones are not to be given to the dog. If they aren’t dog owners themselves then they might assume that bones are good for them no matter what. They need to know that this isn’t the case.
3 – Nuts
At any time of year, nuts are eaten and it is tempting to toss a few to the dog to let them have a salty snack. The problem with most nuts is that they are too salty anyway, but also they pose a choking hazard as most dogs tend to inhale their food. Especially if it is tossed to them in the air.
Beyond that, nuts are very difficult for dogs to digest. In addition, they can also tear up the digestive tract if the shells are still on like peanuts tend to be.
There are other issues, however. At Christmas the nuts that you’ll find as snacks in most homes are walnuts and macadamia nuts. These two nuts in particular are toxic to dogs since they contain tremorgenic mycotoxin. This chemical is known to cause seizures in dogs. Even if that worst case scenario doesn’t occur, it can cause a very upset stomach and leave your pooch feeling very under the weather.
4 – Garlic, leeks and onions
The issue with a lot of human food is that most of it is probably safe to eat but not a good idea for the salt, sugar, and fat content. It can cause some weight gain on your dog.
The bigger issue is that a lot of things we cook, particularly for the holidays, are cooked with alliums like leeks, garlic and onions. These ingredients are quite toxic to dogs, too. This is why things like the gravy for the bird is not to be given to your dog. And any sauce or stew that is being served is likely to contain a lot of those ingredients.
Although the reaction typically is not anything serious or cause for concern, your dog will feel mostly miserable after a meal with these items.
5 – Sweets
Lastly, dogs don’t need something sweet to finish off a holiday meal. Although we love to indulge and overdo things with a pudding to top things off on the holidays, it is quite another story for your dog.
The excess sugar is not going to sit well with your dog and can lead to a rather upset tummy. There is an ingredient that is lurking in some sweets that will send your dog to the A and E, however. If any of these sweets contains xylitol, an artificial sweetener, then this will cause a severe reaction in your dog that will require the attention from a vet.
It’s not worth it to take that kind of risk by giving your dog any sweet treats.
Conclusion
It’s totally natural to want to spoil your favorite guy on the holidays. Frankly, most of the food that you would give him won’t cause any major harm. The fact that much of it will cause some sour stomach or cramps should be enough to make you want to not take any chances however. It’s not worth the risk of putting your pooch in danger.
