PupkeeperHoliday safety for dogs: Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year
The holiday dangers for dogs, most dangerous first: chocolate, xylitol, raisins, fruit cake, onion, macadamias, alcohol, raw dough, cooked bones and fatty scraps. Around the house, watch mistletoe, amaryllis, holly, poinsettia, Christmas tree and fireworks fear. Here is what each one does, a checklist from the Pupkeeper app, and who to call.
Already happened? If your dog ate something on this page or seems unwell, call your vet or a pet poison line now. Pet poison lines
Holiday foods dogs can't have
Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, party food and gifts, most dangerous first.
- ChocolateToxicToxic. Chocolate can cause vomiting, a racing heart, tremors and seizures in dogs. Dark and baking chocolate are the most dangerous.
- Xylitol (Birch Sugar)ToxicToxic. Xylitol, a sweetener in many sugar-free foods, can crash a dog's blood sugar within minutes and can cause liver failure.
- Raisins, Currants and SultanasToxicToxic. Raisins, currants and sultanas can cause sudden kidney failure in dogs, even in small amounts, and no safe amount is known.
- Fruit CakeToxicToxic. Fruit cake usually contains raisins and currants that can cause kidney failure, and rum-soaked cakes add the risk of alcohol poisoning.
- OnionsToxicToxic. Onions in any form, raw, cooked or powdered, can damage a dog's red blood cells and cause anemia, often days later.
- Macadamia NutsToxicToxic. Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, wobbliness, vomiting, tremors and fever in dogs, usually within 12 hours.
- AlcoholToxicToxic. Beer, wine, liquor and foods with alcohol can make a dog wobbly and vomit, and severe cases can lead to breathing trouble, coma or death.
- Raw Yeast DoughToxicToxic. Raw yeast dough keeps rising in a dog's stomach, causing painful bloating, and the yeast makes alcohol that can poison the dog.
- Cooked BonesCautionCaution. Cooked bones are dangerous: they splinter easily and can cause choking, mouth injuries, or blockages and tears in the gut.
- Fat Trimmings and Greasy FoodCautionCaution. Fatty scraps and grease are not safe: they can cause vomiting and diarrhea and can trigger pancreatitis, a painful and sometimes fatal illness.
Plain foods that are fine in small amounts
Plain, unseasoned and in small pieces: the guide entry says how.
- TurkeySafe in moderationSafe. Plain cooked turkey meat with no skin, bones or seasoning is fine as a small treat.
- PumpkinSafe in moderationSafe. Plain cooked or canned pure pumpkin is a healthy, high-fiber treat; avoid pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar and spices.
- Sweet PotatoesSafe in moderationSafe when cooked. Plain, cooked, skinless sweet potato is a fine treat in small amounts, but never feed it raw.
- Green BeansSafe in moderationSafe. Plain green beans, raw or cooked, are a low-calorie treat; avoid salted canned beans and any cooked with garlic or butter.
Christmas trees, plants and decorations
- MistletoeToxicToxic. A few mistletoe leaves or berries usually cause stomach upset, but larger amounts can affect the heart and blood pressure.
- AmaryllisToxicToxic. Amaryllis, especially the bulb, can cause vomiting, drooling, diarrhea and belly pain.
- HollyToxicMildly toxic. Holly leaves and berries usually cause only stomach upset such as vomiting and diarrhea, and most dogs recover at home.
- PoinsettiaToxicMildly toxic. Poinsettia sap can irritate the mouth and stomach and cause drooling or vomiting, but its danger is greatly exaggerated.
- Christmas Tree (Needles and Water)CautionUsually mild, but take care. Needles and sap can irritate the mouth and stomach, and tree-stand water can hold fertilizer and bacteria.
- Christmas DecorationsCautionCaution. Tinsel, ribbon, ornaments and light cords can choke dogs, block the gut or burn the mouth; chewed live cords are an emergency.
New Year's Eve and fireworks
Holiday safety checklist
The checklist from the Pupkeeper app. Each item links to the guide entry that says why it matters.
Food and guests
- Plates, leftovers and the carving board kept out of reach
- The kitchen bin closed or behind a door
- Fruit cake, mince pies and Christmas pudding up high
- Chocolate gifts off the floor and away from the tree
- Guests asked not to slip scraps (gravy and stuffing hide onion)
- Guests' bags and coats put away (sugar-free gum, medicines)
- Drinks off low tables, and rising dough out of reach
Tree, plants and noise
- The tree steady, its water covered, tinsel and glass ornaments up high
- Poinsettia, holly, mistletoe and amaryllis out of reach
- A quiet room ready for fireworks nights
- Someone watching the door when guests come and go, and a tag on the collar
- Your vet's holiday hours and the nearest emergency vet saved
Summer holidays and the tropics
If your dog ate something dangerous, call your vet or a pet poison line now
United States
Poison lines in other countries: United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, France, JM, PR, Singapore, Switzerland, TT, VI
Sources
Each guide entry above lists its own sources. Together they draw on:
46 sources
- Pet Poison Helpline: Chocolate
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Chocolate Poisoning in Dogs
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Chocolate Toxicosis in Animals
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs
- FDA: Paws Off Xylitol; It's Dangerous for Dogs
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Xylitol Toxicosis in Dogs
- PDSA: Grape, Raisin, Currant and Sultana Poisoning in Dogs
- Pet Poison Helpline: Are Grapes and Raisins Poisonous to Dogs?
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Grape, Raisin, and Currant Poisoning in Dogs
- Pet Poison Helpline: Common Holiday Dangers
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Holiday Toxins for Pets
- AKC: Can Dogs Eat Onions?
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Onion, Garlic, Chive, and Leek Toxicity in Dogs
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Garlic and Onion (Allium spp) Toxicosis in Animals
- Pet Poison Helpline: Macadamia Nuts
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Macadamia Nut Toxicosis in Dogs
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets
- Pet Poison Helpline: Alcohol
- AKC: Hazardous Cookout Foods for Dogs
- Pet Poison Helpline: Bread Dough
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Bread Dough Toxicosis in Animals
- AKC: What to Do if Your Dog Ate Chicken Bones
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Dos and Don'ts for a Dog-Safe Game Day
- Pet Poison Helpline: Table Food Dogs Should Not Eat
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Pancreatitis in Dogs
- ASPCA: What BBQ Staples Are Dangerous to My Pet?
- AKC: Can Dogs Eat Turkey?
- ASPCA: Sharing Is Caring: Foods You Can Safely Share with Your Pet
- AKC: Can Pumpkin Help With Dog Diarrhea?
- AKC: Fruits and Vegetables Dogs Can or Can't Eat
- AKC: Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes?
- AKC: Can Dogs Eat Green Beans?
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Mistletoe (American)
- Pet Poison Helpline: Holiday Toxins
- Pet Poison Helpline: Toxic Plants to Pets (first aid)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Amaryllis
- Pet Poison Helpline: Easter Pet Dangers
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Holly
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Poinsettia
- Pet Poison Helpline: Poinsettia
- PDSA: Dangerous Christmas Decorations
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Holiday Safety Tips for Dog Owners
- Pet Poison Helpline: Tinsel
- RSPCA: Keeping Pets Safe During Fireworks
- ASPCA: Four Ways Fireworks Can Harm Our Pets
- Pet Poison Helpline: Fireworks
Earlier in the season: Halloween with a dog
General information from the guide's sources, not a diagnosis. When in doubt, call your vet.