Careful what you feed your pets over Christmas

Just 50g of chocolate can be toxic and kill a dog. This was the pre-Christmas dinner warning from the RSPCA Qld’s Senior Veterinarian Dr Anne Chester.

“Onions can also be toxic”, she warned. “Even the small amounts contained on pizza slices. People often give their family pet the barbeque left overs and more often than not there are onions mixed in with the meat. For some dogs this can be a fatal oversight.”

The festive season for many of us involves eating to excess and it’s natural to want to share some of the leftover foods with out pets. However if there is a sudden jump in the amount of fatty foods consumed by your pet, this could lead to future health problems such as pancreatitis.

Also ensure you feed your pets raw bones only as cooked bones are “brittle and sharp pieces and either lodge in the throat or pierce the stomach lining” Dr Chester warns.

So remember, avoid chocolate, onion and cooked bones for your pets and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.