The holidays bring together the five Fs: family, friends, fun, food, and Fido. In all the excitement it’s easy to forget about holiday safety, Fido’s safety. If you wish to avoid ending your holiday celebration at the veterinary emergency clinic, follow some essential guidelines.
Don’t share your food with your dog. We love to indulge in the feast, but as much as it 
pleases us, it can cause real pain to the dog. Rich, fatty foods can seriously upset Fido’s stomach and can even be toxic. The following foods are extremely dangerous for your dog:
- Chocolate
- Grapes and raisins
- Onions (can cause anemia) and high levels of garlic
- Bones – especially the cooked ones and ALL poultry bones
- Everything high in fat, sodium and/or sugar
- Alcoholic beverages
Of course, there are some types of human foods that are not harmful to give to Fido as a special treat. A small piece of cooked turkey or chicken, but without skin or bones, will do the trick as long as you keep the gravy to yourself. Raw apples and carrots in moderate amounts are a healthy snack for dogs too, as long as you stop at moderate.
Decorations. Dogs are curious by nature, they need to check out anything new that appears in the home. Then one leads to another – sniffing to chewing and later on to ingesting objects added to the décor. Make sure all electrical cords are tucked away and other decorations and holiday plants are out of reach – Poinsettia, Mistletoe, Lilies, Daffodils, Christmas Tree – all are toxic for your furry friend. Pay extra attention to dangling objects as they can be pulled down and cause injuries. You already know to not leave candles unattended. And if you have a Christmas tree, don’t let Fido drink the tree water as it can make him sick.
Holidays are all about gatherings and parties and as fun as this might be for you, your pup could sense otherwise; lots of people in the house can end up with injury or stress for your dog. If this is the case, when you have many friends over, consider keeping her in a crate or a quiet room, especially if Fido is the nervous kind. On the other hand, if your pup is comfortable around a smaller group, make sure you explain to your friends the ground rules: don’t feed the dog and keep the doors closed. Unfortunately, many pets get loose and run off during holidays; thus the importance of the collar with current identification.
You and Fido have a fun holiday season, surrounded by friends and family, and of course, all that delicious food.
Merry Holidays!
