Holiday Foods Dogs Should Avoid

Brontë & Dazu, Two Happy Service Dogs at Poodle Palooza 2024 (Courtesy: MobilityDog.org)

 

This is a slightly edited repeat of a blog from two years ago. We’re running it again because we think it’s important, this time of year, to remain vigilant about what we allow our dogs to eat. We humans enjoy a range of holiday goodies that are tasty to us but dangerous to our pooches.

 

It's Just Not Food

Some non-food items are tempting to our pets and may constitute an obvious danger. For instance, amaryllis, mistletoe, balsam, pine, cedar and holly are among the common holiday plants that can be poisonous to pets. Poinsettias can be troublesome as well. Candles with vanilla or other food-like aromas can also be a hazard. They smell good to Princess, and they might taste good too, but the health implications are dire.

 

Doggie Diet Dangers

But what about the actual foods we eat during the holidays, those yummy goodies with which we pamper ourselves? Which are bad for our pets? Here are some of the most problematic.

Alcohol

Keeping alcoholic beverages away from pets seems obvious, but a dismaying number of pet owners think it’s amusing (perhaps after a few too many themselves) to sneak Princess a little beer or champagne. Bad idea. Severe intoxication may result in respiratory depression, cardiac arrest and seizures.

Garlic, Onions and Chives

Most of us have heard that onions and garlic are bad for dogs. But it’s surprising how little of this food can be toxic, or even fatal, to our pets. Half a medium-sized onion could pack a deadly dose for a 10-pound dog. So keep the onion stuffing on top of the table and away from your pooch.

Grapes and Raisins

Eating grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure in dogs. Symptoms include lethargy, loss of appetite and diarrhea. As renal failure develops, the dog may experience abdominal pain and decreased urine output. A small dog can have a fatal reaction to as little as one grape.

When it comes time to dispose of that fruitcake nobody wants to eat, don’t look to Princess for help. Instead, regift it to an acquaintance you don’t really like.

Chocolate

It’s common knowledge that chocolate is bad for dogs. Chocolate contains theobromine, which can cause hyperactivity, vomiting, panting, diarrhea, heart arrythmias and muscle tremors. Seizures and death may follow. And it doesn’t take much to jeopardize a dog’s health, especially for small dogs.

Give your dog real kisses (or better yet, belly rubs) and save the chocolate kisses for the human guests.

Caffeine

The effect of caffeine is similar to that of chocolate, raising blood pressure and creating a risk of fatal cardiac arrhythmia. Caffeine can also cause severe depletion of potassium in dogs, which can in turn bring about a variety of serious heart problems. Keep liquid coffee away from your pet. The same goes for coffee beans and grounds as well as tea, soft drinks, energy drinks and products containing guarana.

You may need a few extra shots of caffeine to get through the holidays, but keep all these coffee variants away from your dog. Energize them with a brisk walk and keep the double espresso to yourself.

Candy

Your dog loves sweets almost as much as you do, so why let her have a few holiday nibbles? Terrible idea. Sugar is bad enough for dogs (and for humans), but these days candy often contains a sugar substitute called xylitol. While absorption of xylitol has minimal effect on humans, it can be profoundly toxic to dogs.

So be sweet to your pooch over the holidays, but keep the candy out of reach.

Nuts

Here again, that fruitcake from Aunt Maude poses a danger to your hound. Nuts are high in fat, which can be hard for your dog to digest, and may carry mold or other toxins acquired during growing or processing. In particular, ingesting macadamias can be problematic, leading to vomiting, tremors and even paralysis.

Other Foods to Avoid

The food listed above are among the most common and potentially dangerous for dogs, but there are a few others worth avoiding as well:

  • Bread dough – The yeast in a small amount of dough can cause potentially deadly pressure and bloating

  • Eggnog and other dairy products – These can cause diarrhea and other digestive problems; the raw eggs in eggnog can also carry bacteria like salmonella and E. coli (maybe we should consider skipping these as well?)

  • Fatty meat and skin – These can bring on canine pancreatitis, which produces digestive enzymes that can damage a dog’s intestinal tract

  • Processed meat – Sausage, salami and pepperoni, for instance, contain both fat and high levels of sodium, not good for any mammal, human or canine

  • Meat bones – Soft bones, like rib bones or bones from fish or poultry, can splinter when chewed and cause lacerations to your dog’s throat and intestinal tract.

Under the Table Benefits

The holidays are a time when overindulgence can become part of the party protocol. Best to pay close attention to your dog’s diet and avoid the fat, sweet, salty delicacies that tempt us humans and push our bathroom scales to the upper limits. Spoil your canine companion with love instead.