The treat-heavy holiday season is upon us! With Halloween candy bringing us into the Thanksgiving and Winter Holidays, it is important to remember that our pets cannot consume the same food as we do. Some things will simply cause tummy trouble, but others can be deadly. That’s why keeping your pets away from table scraps and other dangerous foods is so important.
So let’s refresh our list of dangerous holiday foods, and take a look at a few tips for keeping your pet safe this season.
Dangerous Foods for Cats and Dogs
- Bones – Letting your pet chew on bones can be extremely dangerous. Cooked bones can splinter causing injuries to the mouth, throat, stomach, or intestines. They can even cause internal bleeding and bowel obstructions.
- Chocolate – While delicious to us, chocolate is poisonous to pets because their bodies cannot process the theobromine in it.
- Alcohol – In pets, alcohol can cause dehydration and low blood sugar, as well as kidney and liver problems.
- Xylitol – This sugar substitute can be deadly if consumed by dogs. It can lead to insulin spikes, low blood sugar, and liver failure.
- Caffeine – It only takes a small amount of caffeine to cause problems like irregular heartbeat, tremors, and seizures.
- Allium Vegetables – This is any type of onion or variety of garlic. No matter the preparation, alliums are dangerous to pets and can cause their red blood cells to break down.
- Avocados – All parts of the avocado (skin, flesh, and pits) can cause trouble for your pet’s digestive system.
- Grapes and Raisins – The tartaric acid in grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in cats and dogs.
Three Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe This Holiday Season
1: Keep pets away from the party.
While they might be party animals, your pets do not need to be out when you’re hosting. Keeping them away from guests prevents accidents and keeps pets from getting into the trash, or picking up food that someone dropped.
2: Let guests staying with you know not to feed your pets.
If you have family or friends staying with you this season let them know they should not share table scraps with your pets. Inform them of how dangerous it is, even in tiny amounts, and ask them to respect your rules for the sake of your pet’s safety.
3: Train pets to leave food outside of their bowl alone.
Training your dog or cat to leave food alone that isn’t in their bowl or handed to them can save their life. For instance, you can train dogs to respond to a “drop it” command. This won’t work with all pets, but it’s worth a try!
Veterinary Care in Gilbert, Arizona
If you have questions about which foods are safe to feed to your pet, or if you’re worried they might have eaten something dangerous, East Valley Animal Hospital is here for you. We offer the best veterinary care in Gilbert, and we want you and your pets to enjoy a happy holiday season.
If you have questions about your pet’s diet or health don’t wait, contact us today to make an appointment.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (12/8/25). Photo by sarandy westfall on Unsplash