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Avoid ‘hair of the dog’ this Christmas
With the festive season coming and the drinks flowing, dogs are at more risk of alcohol poisoning. This tends to happen when drinks are left unattended during the celebrations.
We carried out a survey and found how easy it is for pets to accidentally consume harmful human food and drink.
The risk of alcohol
Alcohol causes damage to dogs and other animals just as it does to humans. But the effects are much worse for a dog, due to their smaller size.
Dogs are curious creatures, so love to stick their noses into free drinks. But even having a small amount of alcohol can do serious harm to our pets.
Signs of alcohol poisoning
Signs of alcohol poisoning can be:
- Vomiting
- Urinating a lot
- Breathing troubles
- Trouble standing or walking
If your dog displays any of this behaviour, take them to a vet as soon as you can.
It’s not just alcohol you need to keep away from your pets this Christmas. Research shows that a third of UK pet owners feed table scraps to their pets[3]. They are unaware of the health issues these treats can cause and even in small amounts, these treats can be dangerous for our pets.
Avoid these foods
Always avoid giving your pets the following food:
- Chocolate – as it contains the poisonous Theobromine stimulant
- Cheese – this can lead to diarrhoea and vomiting
- Fat trimmings and bones – these can cause choking
- Hot dogs – just one is the same as three burgers for a human[4]
Healthy treats for your pet
Finally, if you want to treat your dog this Christmas, why not try some of these healthy options:
- Carrots
- Peas
- Sweet Potato
- Cooked Salmon
- Cooked Chicken
Keep your dog safe at Christmas and throughout the rest of the year. Protect your dog with Argos Pet Insurance provided by Pinnacle Insurance plc. Explore our dog insurance policies today.
[1] Argos Pet Insurance Survey of 323 UK dog owners
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/dec/07/christmas-dangers-for-dogs
