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PDSA Vet Nurse, Nina Downing, said: “Christmas can mean lots of chocolate around the house – from advent calendars to delicious treats and gifts. We want to enjoy our celebrations without any disasters, so it’s really important to keep all chocolates well away from our pets. “Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, which is perfectly safe for humans, but toxic for dogs, cats and rabbits.
The seriousness of chocolate poisoning depends on how much chocolate your pet has eaten, how big they are, and the cocoa content of the chocolate – the darker the chocolate the more toxic it is for your pet.” In PDSA’s 49 Pet Hospitals the charity sees a 31% increase in a medication used to treat poisonings around Christmas, which could be linked to the abundance of dangerous food in the home such as chocolates and mince pies. To help keep pets safe, PDSA has put together the following tips to keep our four-legged friends safe this Christmas: Keep advent calendars high up and well out of reach.
Make sure older children understand the risk to any pets and don’t leave them lying around If you’re giving chocolates as gifts, add a sticker saying ‘harmful to pets’ – the recipient can then store it safely rather than under the tree, to prevent pets from sniffing it out. PDSA’s free downloadable Christmas Survival Guide has printable tags to put on gifts www.pdsa.
org.uk/xmas-guide When receiving gifts, ask them to let you know if it contains anything edible so you can store it safely away from prying paws. Nina continued: “With a few simple steps you can help to prevent any Christmas catastrophes! Symptoms of chocolate poisoning usually appear within two to four hours, but it can take longer.
The sooner your pet gets help, the higher the chances of a full recover.” Symptoms of chocolate poisoning can include: Fast breathing or panting Shaking, trembling and tremors High temperature (fever) Seizures A fast heart rate High blood pressure It’s also important to be aware of mild symptoms too: Hyperactivity Vomiting Diarrhoea Signs of abdominal discomfort/pain In severe cases it can even cause heart failure, coma and even be fatal. Nina added: “If you think your pet may have eaten something they shouldn’t, always call your vet straight away.
Keep the packaging and take it with you, this will help your vet understand how much theobromine your pet may have ingested. With early intervention, most pets make a good recovery.” Other potentially festive foods that can be harmful to our pets include raisins, onions, alcohol and certain nuts.
To be safe and avoid any accidents, PDSA advises keeping all human foods out of reach of our pets, and making sure they only have access to pet-safe food and treats. For more advice and information about keeping pets healthy and happy over Christmas, visit our website www.pdsa.
org.uk.
