5 Holiday Foods That Dogs Should Avoid

Holiday is around the corner and it’s especially important to be careful of what you feed your dog when our homes are filled with feasts. In particular, here are 5 common holiday foods that you should watch out for:

Fatty Food & Cured Meats 

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Fatty food and processed meats like bacon, ham, and pepperoni might be right up your dog’s alley in terms of the best-smelling treats in the world. But, you should keep them from eating these because the fat content could trigger life-threatening pancreatitis or a fatal condition called gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). 

Additionally, the salt and various preservatives used to make deli meats are not suitable for dogs. Consuming enough could lead to severe electrolyte imbalance, heart failure, and kidney damage. 

Garlic & Onions

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Aromatics like onions and garlic are staple ingredients for many dishes. While they make human food tastier, they’re actually poisonous to dogs. They contain compounds that can destroy dogs’ red blood cells, which leads to anemia and organ damage.

Dogs that ingest onions and garlic may not show obvious symptoms right away. However, they soon become weak and lethargic, and may have difficulty breathing. They are also likely to suffer from gastrointestinal issues (ex., diarrhea and vomiting).

Alcohol & Other Beverages

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Alcoholic beverages are poisonous to dogs and can cause their blood pressure and glucose levels to drop to dangerous levels. At a certain point, alcohol can also cause respiratory failure and seizures. So, make sure the wine, punch, and eggnog are out of reach.

Other than alcohol, several other beverages are potentially harmful to your dogs. This includes hot chocolate, caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee, and soda. Diet drinks are of significant concern because these may contain harmful artificial sweeteners like xylitol. 

Grapes & Raisins

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Grapes and raisins may be healthy snacks for humans, but they’re extremely harmful for dogs. So are currants often in fruit cake and other baked goods. The exact compound that causes poisoning has not yet been identified, but these food items are known to affect the kidney and within 72 hours of ingestion. In some cases, fata renal failure could occur.

Dogs affected by raisins, grapes, and currants will first experience vomiting or diarrhea. Without emergency care, this will progress to lethargy and tremors.

Nuts & Seeds

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Nuts and seeds are generally high in fat. That can trigger digestive upset and pancreatitis in dogs. Some may even be coated with salt, chemical preservatives, and toxic spices 

Even worse, some types of nuts are toxic to dogs and can cause even more severe illness. For example macadamia nuts affect muscle and nerve function, which leads to joint stiffness, lameness, and tremors. Fruit pits like those that come from avocados, cherries, and peaches are also poisonous. 

These common foods might seem harmless, but they could have serious effects on your dog. If you have these in your home, make sure to keep them out of reach and always keep an eye on your pets. Additionally, make sure you set ground rules with guests about slipping your dogs any human food to avoid a veterinary emergency.