Christmas With a Dog: 5 Dangers and How to Avoid Them

Reduce stress

Christmas throws off your dog's daily routine: visitors, noise, unfamiliar smells, changed schedules. Offer a quiet retreat (a crate or dog bed in a calm room). Keep up the regular walks, ideally in the morning or evening when it's quiet. Don't take your dog Christmas shopping or to holiday markets (crowds, noise, food scraps on the ground).

1. Toxic plants

Poinsettia: Belongs to the spurge family. The leaves and stems contain a toxic milky sap. Symptoms: vomiting, heavy drooling, diarrhea, cramps, trembling. In the worst case, pulmonary edema. If you suspect poisoning, go to the vet immediately.

Mistletoe and Christmas rose: Toxic as well. The symptoms are similar to those of the poinsettia.

Solution: Place plants out of reach or skip them entirely. More on toxic plants: Toxic plants for dogs

2. Candles and fire hazards

Open candles on the coffee table or the Advent wreath: your dog can knock them over, singe its fur, or swallow wax (a blockage risk). LED candles are the safest alternative. If you use real candles, place them out of reach and never let them burn unattended.

First aid for burns: Cool with lukewarm water (no ice, no ice-cold water). No burn ointments or wound powder. Go to the vet right away, since the full extent often shows up only later.

3. No holiday feast for your dog

Christmas goose, turkey and gravy are too heavily seasoned. The possible result: vomiting, diarrhea, pancreatitis. Especially dangerous: cooked bones. They splinter and can injure the esophagus, stomach or intestines.

Alternative: Dried beef or rabbit ears, raw meaty bones (raw, they don't splinter). Or your own dog menu of plain boiled chicken without any seasoning.

4. Chocolate and sweets

Chocolate contains theobromine, which dogs break down only slowly. The darker the chocolate, the more theobromine. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are the most dangerous. Christmas cookies contain problematic ingredients too: sugar, cinnamon, bitter almonds, raisins, xylitol.

Symptoms of chocolate poisoning: hyperactivity, increased thirst, diarrhea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, trembling, cramps, trouble breathing.

First aid: Call your vet or an emergency clinic right away. Bring the chocolate remnants or the wrapper along (the vet estimates the amount of theobromine). Give activated charcoal tablets only if they tell you to.

Prevention: Never leave Advent plates, cookie tins or chocolate out in the open.

5. Securing the Christmas tree

Stability: The tree has to stand firmly enough that it won't topple over when your dog sniffs at it or bumps into it.

Decorations: Hang ornaments and decorations high. Wooden ornaments are safer than plastic or metal (which can contain toxic substances). No tinsel and no gift ribbons (a choking hazard, intestinal blockage). Pick up broken glass ornaments right away (cut injuries to paws and mouth).

Tree-stand water: Can contain fertilizer, resin or preservatives. Cover it or keep your dog away from it.

Presents: Don't leave your dog unattended with wrapped gifts (packaging material, bows, small parts).

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