Yuletide Hazards: This Vet's Insight into the Top 5 Christmas Toxins in Your Home 🚫🎄

As the year wraps up it's time to chat about the household things at home that could turn your dog's holiday into a not-so-merry one.

Here is my list of the top five things at home that your dog should not be putting into their mouths...

1. Xylitol: The Grinch in Disguise

Picture this: Your pup discovers a sweet stash of 'Extra' gum, sugar-free treats, artificially sweetened peanut butter, multivitamins, or sauces or jams that left were unattended. Seems innocent but is anything but! Xylitol, the sneaky sugar substitute, is found in many over the counter foods and medicines.

Even in very small quantities it can cause a dangerous crash in blood sugar within minutes, as well as acute liver injury.  Symptoms can include vomiting, loss of coordination, weakness and collapse.  

*That's also why it's important to only use DOG-SAFE PEANUT BUTTER (Xylitol-free) when giving peanut butter to your dog (including BarkyBakey treats) 

2. Chocolate: Nice, but also Naughty

We all know chocolate and Christmas go together, it's that time of year. But for dogs, it's a big no-no. Theobromine & caffeine, the not-so-sweet components in chocolate, can be toxic to them.

The amount of toxicity depends on 3 things:

• size of the dog
• amount of chocolate
• type of chocolate (white safest, dark most toxic)

There's even an online calculator!  https://www.vets-now.com/dog-chocolate-toxicity-calculator/

Dark and cooking chocolate in particular is highly toxic, so keep those cocoa concoctions out of reach. If your pup gets into the chocolate stash, ring up your vet and ask if you should come down. They may induce vomiting followed by activated charcoal if caught early enough. 

3. Raisins: Grapes Gone Rogue

Decking the halls with bowls of grapes or raisins? Think again!

These seemingly harmless snacks can lead to a real-life nightmare for your pup. Toxicity can be complicated, meaning some dogs can have a bunch of grapes with no issues whilst for others even a few raisins can be disastrous. 

We believe we are closer to knowing what the toxic culprit is ('tartaric acid', which is found in grapes as well as tartar sauce, tamarinds and merengues - also very dangerous) but the dose remains a mystery. 

Grapes, sultanas and raisins can cause kidney failure and severe pancreatitis in dogs, so a prompt visit to the vet within minutes to a few hours can be life-saving. 

There, your dog may be induced to vomit, followed by dosing with 'activated' charcoal to mop up any remaining toxins in their guts, and possible hospitalisation.  

4. Tinsel: The Shiny Snare

Ah, the allure of tinsel—festive, shiny, and oh-so-enticing. But ingesting tinsel can lead to serious health issues, like blockages and intestinal twists. Keep ornaments out of reach and stick to dog-friendly ornaments lower down.

5. Mistletoe & Holly: A Merry Mishap

Ah the romantic mistletoe. But with pets, mistletoe and holly can cause nausea, vomiting, upset tummies and much worse for dogs. So, get the artificial stuff or keep those plants on a high shelf—or your Hallmark story will involve a trip to the vet.

BONUS toxicity: This is included because we'll all be spending a lot of time together indoors, creating more opportunities for people & doggie mischief. 

The last, but by no means least, toxin to be aware of is...

Vapes!  You might enjoy a good ol' puff of those fruity or minty vapours, but trust me, your dog doesn't share the same enthusiasm. Dogs, being the curious creatures they are, might be tempted to investigate that strange-smelling cloud you're blowing, leading to eye and respiratory irritation. 

However, the biggest risk is if your dog chews on the canister - even a small lick of the liquid stuff can be dangerous. These e-liquids often contain nicotine, which can be seriously harmful to dogs. Nicotine poisoning can lead to a range of symptoms from upset tummies to more severe issues.

Signs include vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, agitation, rapid breathing, abnormal, low or high heart rhythms, tremors, muscle weakness, wobbliness, high or low blood pressure, respiratory depression, seizures, coma and death.  When I see a young, stumbling 50kg dog with a heart rate of 250 (that's a-LOT) I ask the vape question.  So, let's keep those vapes away from our pups. 🐾💨

The list goes on, check out the blog on Christmas time toxic plants!