Top 6 Anti-Dog Holiday Foods to Avoid

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This article is from our guest blogger Hannah Croscutt !

With Christmas right around the corner, it’s important to know what holiday foods are okay for your dog to have and ones to completely avoid. The last thing we all want around Christmas time is to have an unexpected, urgent vet visit, with Rover in a lot of discomfort or worse. Below are the top 6 foods to avoid giving your dog this holiday season.

  1. Chocolate. If there’s anything I look forward to around this time of year, it’s the large amount of chocolate present! However, this means being extra careful in making sure your dog doesn’t get any. Chocolate is known to cause heart issues in dogs, along with other major problems. Be aware of what you leave on the counter, what falls on the floor, or is included in certain recipes.
  2. Xylitol. Xylitol is a sweetener commonly found in candy (especially sugar-free ones), some peanut butters, mints and gum. It is absolutely toxic to dogs and should be kept completely out of reach from your dog at all times, not just the holidays.
  3. Grapes or raisins. Grapes and raisins have been shown to promote kidney failure in dogs, especially if given to them over a period of time. While these are completely unacceptable to give your dog year round, it seems like they are especially present during the holidays. So, be extra mindful in keeping that fruit cake away from Rover, along with anything else containing grapes or raisins.
  4. Onions, garlic, leeks, scallions, or anything that contains those things. Commonly found in turkey stuffing or festive dishes, these have been known to cause toxic levels of anemia in dogs. These are a definite no-no.
  5. Alcohol. This may seem silly but, due to their smaller size, dogs are more susceptible to the toxicity of alcohol, especially if they have never been exposed to it beforehand. Like xylitol, it’s best that dogs never ingest alcohol.
  6. Turkey bones. Giving your dog any leftover bird bones leaves them susceptible to intestinal blockages. If you can’t help but give your dog a slice here or there, make sure there aren’t any bones in it.

Also, keep in mind that if you are giving your dog new things (like table scraps) that less is better, especially if it is something they don’t get very often. Too many new things will upset their tummies and cause gastrointestinal distress.

As always, thanks for reading and hope this helps!

About the author: Hannah Croscutt is a dog lover from Atlanta, Ga. She enjoys learning all about dogs from her furry buddy, Piper. She blogs at http://thefurryteacher.wordpress.com.

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