Safe Holiday Foods: Foods to Keep Away from Pets This Christmas

The holiday season is a time for sharing love, joy, and delicious food with friends and family. But while you're indulging in festive feasts, it’s crucial to remember that some holiday foods can be dangerous—even deadly—for pets. From beloved desserts to savoury dishes, many items found on an Australian Christmas menu can harm dogs and cats if ingested. This guide outlines the common holiday foods that should be kept far away from pets and offers practical tips to ensure your furry friends stay safe this Christmas.

As many of us learnt growing up, dogs and cats should never eat chocolate. This is because chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that pets cannot metabolise effectively. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. Even a small amount can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, rapid heart rate, tremors, and in severe cases, seizures or heart failure.

What to Do If Ingested: Call your vet immediately. If treated early, your vet may induce vomiting or administer activated charcoal to reduce the toxic effects.

While grapes and raisins are festive favourites in Christmas puddings and fruitcakes, they are extremely toxic to pets—especially dogs. Even a small amount can lead to kidney failure. Symptoms might include vomiting, lethargy, or a lack of appetite. Cats are less commonly affected, but it’s still best to keep these foods out of reach.

What to Do If Ingested: Seek veterinary attention immediately. Rapid treatment can prevent irreversible kidney damage.

Whether in gravies, stuffing, or marinades, these ingredients are common in holiday cooking but highly toxic to pets. They can damage red blood cells, leading to anaemia. Symptoms, which may take days to appear, include weakness, pale gums, and lethargy.

What to Do If Ingested: If your pet has eaten anything seasoned with onions, garlic, or chives, contact your vet straight away. Blood tests and supportive care may be required.

Christmas favourites like ham and roast turkey might be delicious for us, but they can be very harmful to pets. Dogs typically thrive on a consistent, balanced diet, so introducing rich, fatty holiday foods can upset their digestive system, potentially leading to gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, or even pancreatitis—a serious and painful condition. Stick to their regular meals to keep their gut happy and healthy this festive season.

Cooked bones are equally dangerous as they can splinter, causing choking, internal injuries, or gastrointestinal blockages.

What to Do If Ingested: For fatty food ingestion, call your vet. Pancreatitis often requires hospitalisation. If your pet has swallowed a cooked bone, seek veterinary care immediately, as x-rays or surgery may be necessary.

Alcohol can be a big part of many holiday celebrations, but it’s important to ensure pets don’t get into drinks, spills, or boozy desserts. Pets are highly sensitive to alcohol, and even a small sip can lead to vomiting, confusion, and severe health issues like respiratory failure or coma.

What to Do If Ingested: Contact your vet or an emergency clinic straight away. Pets may need IV fluids and close monitoring.

A staple in many Australian Christmas desserts, macadamia nuts are extremely toxic to dogs. While it’s unclear why they’re harmful, even a few nuts can cause vomiting, tremors, weakness, and difficulty walking. Cats are less commonly affected but should still avoid them.

What to Do If Ingested: Reach out to your vet. Most pets recover with supportive care, but early treatment is essential to minimise symptoms.

Found in sugar-free lollies, chewing gum, and baked goods, xylitol is incredibly dangerous for dogs. It triggers a rapid release of insulin, causing a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels. This can lead to vomiting, weakness, seizures, or even liver failure. Cats rarely ingest xylitol, but it’s better to avoid exposing them to it altogether.

What to Do If Ingested: Call your vet immediately. Treatment may involve dextrose administration to stabilise blood sugar and liver support therapy.

The festive season brings plenty of delicious food and bustling activity, but it’s important to take precautions to keep your pets safe. Many common Christmas foods and habits can pose risks to their health. Here are my top four tips to ensure your furry friends stay happy and healthy during the holidays.

1. Keep Holiday Dishes and Leftovers Out of Reach

Store food on high counters or in sealed containers. Supervise pets around food preparation areas to ensure they don’t sneak a taste of anything dangerous.

2. Educate Guests About Pet-Safe Foods

Guests may not realise that a harmless-looking treat could be toxic for your pet. Politely inform visitors not to feed pets table scraps, no matter how small or tempting they seem.

3. Offer Pet-Friendly Treats

Prepare or buy holiday-themed treats specifically for your pets. These could include pet-safe biscuits, chew toys, or catnip toys to make them feel part of the festivities.

4. Know the Signs of Poisoning and Act Quickly!

Familiarise yourself with symptoms of poisoning, such as vomiting, lethargy, or seizures. Keep your vet’s contact information and a pet poison hotline readily available for emergencies.

By being mindful of the foods your pets can and cannot have, you can help ensure a safe and joyful holiday season for everyone in the family—furry friends included! A little extra care will make Christmas a festive and stress-free time for all.

This article was written by Dr Jack Ayerbe