10 foods from your SC Christmas dinner table that may be deadly to your dog

Sarah Claire McDonald
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The holiday season is widely considered to be a “foodie’s” dream time of year.

Christmas time comes with a variety of festive drinks, cuisine, baked goods, chocolate treats, spirits and other rich foods.

As delicious as that may sound for people, such foods can be quite hazardous for your furry friends.

According to VCA Animal Hospitals, potential problems your pet could face from dinner table treats include:

  • Avoid having foods containing grapes, raisins, and currants anywhere near your pets, which could include treats such as fruit cakes, breads and cookies. These can result in kidney failure in dogs.

  • Do not let your pets near alcohol. This can be found in places other than adult beverages, including rum-soaked cake, raw bread dough containing yeast or vanilla extract to name a few examples. Ingestion of alcohol by your pet can cause signs including difficulty walking, disorientation, changes in blood pressure, and abnormal blood sugar levels. Aside from the risks associated with alcohol ingestion, raw yeast dough can expand in your pet’s stomach and can result in bloat, which may be life-threatening as well, detailed VCA Animal Hospitals.

  • Dogs cannot ingest chocolate and cocoa as they contain theobromine, which is a chemical similar to caffeine. “Ingestion, even in small amounts, may cause vomiting and diarrhea, with cardiovascular and neurologic changes possible with large ingestions. The amount of theobromine present in chocolate depends on the type. White chocolate and milk chocolate contain the lowest amounts of theobromine, while unsweetened and baker’s chocolates contain high amounts of theobromine. The specific risk to your pet depends on the amount ingested, type of chocolate and size of your pet. Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) is a concern even in cases where poisoning is not expected,” according to VCA Animal Hospitals.

  • Sugar replacements should also be avoided. Many sugar-free items contain xylitol, a natural sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs. Ingestion of xylitol may result in a life-threatening decrease in blood sugar as well as liver failure.

  • Leftover fatty meat scraps given to dogs can cause pancreatitis.

Other foods your dog should not ingest:

  • Avocado

  • Cherries

  • Onions and garlic

  • Rhubarb

  • Macadamia nuts

  • Bones

If you’re concerned that your pet was exposed to or ingested something harmful, be sure to call your local veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline immediately at 855-764-7661.

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