The festive season is upon us and with it brings many temptations for our furry friends. It is the time of year of celebrations, over indulging and sparkly decorations.

Seemingly innocent pleasures can be deadly if eaten by animals. Chocolate, raisins and other dried fruit – such as that in mince pies or Christmas puddings – onion, garlic, xylitol in sugar-free products and seasonal decorations like mistletoe and holly can all be dangerous, and even fatal, to dogs and cats if eaten.

The treatment for toxic ingestion over last year’s Christmas season saw a huge increase with 76% seeing chocolate poisoning , 69% seeing dogs unwell after easting raisins or sultanas (mince pies and Christmas cake) and around 19% reported seeing cases caused by artificial sweetener xylitol.

Foreign body ingestion in dogs is common over the festive period, with gifts for humans, including small parts of children’s toys, being the most common cause  while ingestion of Christmas decorations and gifts for pets and wrapping were also highlighted by vets as causing issues.

But it’s not just dogs who should be on Santa’s naughty list: more than a quarter of vets (27%) also saw cases of toxic ingestion in cats, who were most likely to have ingested non-food items such as seasonal plants like holly or mistletoe. Vets saw cats with foreign body ingestion, seeing cases caused by Christmas decorations like tinsel, ribbons and wrapping.

Top tips for keeping Christmas hazard-free for pets

1. Protect your pet from poisons: A range of festive treats and traditions, such as chocolate in advent calendars and sweets, raisins, xylitol (found in sugar-free treats), nuts, grapes, liquorice, poinsettia, holly and mistletoe are toxic to cats and dogs.
2. Keep decorations out of reach: Ribbons, wrapping paper, baubles, tinsel and tree lights can seem like appealing playthings to cats and dogs but can be very dangerous if broken, chewed or swallowed. Batteries for Christmas gifts also need to be kept safe as, if ingested, they may cause severe chemical burns to the mouth, throat and stomach.
3. Forget festive food for pets: We all enjoy a richer diet over Christmas, but fatty foods and Christmas dinners shouldn’t be shared with the animals of the household. They can trigger sickness and diarrhoea or other conditions from gastroenteritis to pancreatitis, so try to stick to your pet’s regular diet and routine. Too many treats can also lead to pet obesity.
4. Keep away the bones: Cooked bones, including turkey bones, should not be given to pets as they can splinter and puncture the digestive tract.
5. Know where to go: Even with all the care in the world, animal accidents and emergencies can still happen. Make sure you’re prepared by checking your vet’s emergency cover and holiday opening hours.