Keep your Dog Healthy this Festive Season - Things they should not eat!

"Did you know that the humble festive mince pie could prove very dangerous or in some cases fatal to your beloved pooch"

Keeping Our Dogs Healthy

The festive season is a great time for all the family including our four-legged companions. Whilst we may indulge and have more treats than we would normally, it's paramount our doggies are only given foods that are healthy and safe. Our top ten tips pick up on many things you'd probably think were safe to give to your dog, but indeed the opposite is very true..... 

Your Top Ten Tips

1. Christmas Mince Pies - are a big no-no. The dried fruit in the pie is toxic for dogs to eat. It can cause liver problems and indeed liver failure in dogs. This also means that we cannot feed our dogs grapes, raisins or currents and similar dried fruits.

2. Alcohol -  has the same effects on dogs as it does on humans, though they can't tell you they have a hangover, are in pain, one to avoid at all costs. Plus, it causes serious liver and digestive problems we won't detect. You can buy Fido some doggy beer which in most cases is quite safe. It contains no alcohol, hops or carbonation and seems to be a hit with some dogs. Check reviews and ingredients prior to buying.

3. Ice-Cream - and other dairy products can cause digestive issues and trigger allergies for your dog. Best not even let them lick the plate once you are done with eating. But, you can now buy doggy ice cream, which is widely available or, you can try making your own dairy-free ice cream that is safe for your dog and, there are some really good recipes online to try.  

4. Chocolate - is really dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. It can cause seizures, muscle tremors and various heart problems as well as leading to a heart attack. Best to keep them high up and out of the way.

We weren't so lucky one year. Our dog had a chocolate bonanza, when we left a box of Quality Street chocolates out on a worktop, thinking it was high up and safe. We came home, to a shredded empty box and wrappers, and for those wrappers, he couldn't remove he ate with the wrappers on. He was a sick doggy for more than a week. Another lesson learned!

5. Chicken/Turkey - are absolutely fine, but you must double-check for even the smallest of bones and splinters, as these can do real damage. Plus, at a time when we are trying to keep our dogs healthy, fat trimmings and the skin of the bird is not good either. Best to avoid high fatty leftovers.

6. Treats are for everyone, so be prepared and make sure you have a stock of good healthy doggy treats in, so that when you are passing round the After Eights or Terry's Chocolate Orange, you can give doggy a treat too.

7. Don't be afraid to give your dog good healthy fruit and veg. Apple pieces, orange/tangerine segments, watermelon, carrot or courgette sticks, some broccoli all work well as great healthy snacks. Just remember to remove seeds, stones. Though, don't overdo it, as fruit is high sugar content.

8. Being indoors for longer periods of time during winter with the heating on can be thirsty work for your dog with his winter coat on. So, remember to keep the water bowl topped up all the time with fresh clean water.

9. Even though it is winter, your dog still needs to get their big walk twice a day. Keeping your dog exercised affords them a better quality of life, it burns off that excess energy and owners get some exercise too.

10. Allowing your dog to socialise with other dogs where possible is great for their wellbeing. None more so than in a gated park where they are safe to run freely with their doggy friends. Dog parks are springing up all and are a pretty inexpensive way for dogs to socialise and play freely.

We hope you and your doggies have a wonderfully safe and healthy festive season.   

Moira Kelly  (Author)

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NOTE - Information contained in this article was accurate at the time of publishing and should be used for guidance only. Whilst we make every effort to keep our information up to date, public information is constantly changing and therefore, no responsibility will be accepted if this information becomes out of date or which warrants this information to be inaccurate.