The 6 Most Dangerous Foods for Dogs This Holiday Season

During the festive season it's easy for things to get sort of out of hand. You have kids and guests running around, cocktails are being consumed, someone is spilling something and you are probably burning your bread rolls as we speak. It's chaotic and fun and crazy! But it's also so chaotic that your dog can sometimes get into something he shouldn't.

Or, more likely, someone will give him just a small bite of something they shouldn't. A little bite of plain chicken or beef or some green beans are okay, but there are some foods you should never feed your dog.

The 6  Most Dangerous Foods for Dogs This Holiday Season

1: Chocolate

Most dog owners know to that their fur baby should never eat chocolate, but so many dogs have gotten into a stray holiday stocking some kid has left on the floor so the holidays are a good time to make sure no candy is left out for your dog to get into.

2: Alcohol 

Dogs shouldn't be given alcohol, and you should also be careful about your dog getting into your alcohol, like the poor dog in the TikTok below who found a bottle of Bailey's.

3: Yeast Dough 

If you're a baker, beware.  According to the ASPCA, yeast dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate in your pet’s digestive system. This can be painful and can cause the stomach to bloat, and potentially twist, becoming a life threatening emergency.

4: Onions (Including garlic, leeks and shallots) 

Usually used as ingredients in recipes, you should never let your dog have any foods containing onions, leeks, shallots, chives or garlic. The Pet Poison Helpline explains, "Onions, garlic, chives, and leeks are part of the Allium family and are poisonous to both dogs and cats. Garlic is considered to be about 5-times as potent as onion. Certain breeds and species are more sensitive, including cats and Japanese breeds of dogs (e.g., Akita, Shiba Inu). Toxic doses of onion and garlic can cause oxidative damage to the red blood cells (making the red blood cells more likely to rupture) and gastroenteritis (e.g., nausea, oral irritation, drooling, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea)."

5: Grapes 

Due to the rise in popularity of charcuterie, a lot of people enjoy these trays over the hols. Which means bread, cheese, various meats and sometimes fruit like grapes. This is more of a danger if you leave your platter unattended and your dog decides to do some snacking, and grape poisoning is a potentially serious illness that should be checked by your veterinarian right away.

Related: Holiday Items That Are Dangerous to Pets

6: Turkey Skin 

A small amount of unseasoned, cooked turkey is usually okay for your dog, but don't give them any skin from the bird. Turkey skin is just fat and too much fat can cause acute pancreatitis in pets.

The holidays can be an exciting and stressful time, even for our dogs, so it's really best to keep them to their usual dry food schedule fed at regular times and to allow them their usual treats. Give extra cuddles and playtime if you want to spoil your dog this Christmas and that way you can be sure the holiday is safe, happy, and healthy for all.

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