Top 5 Tips to Help Your Dog This Festive Season by vet Dr Stephanie Wenban

1. Protect paws from cold

Much like human fingers and toes, dog’s paws are sensitive to the cold. Increased time spent on snow or ice can cause paw pads to become chapped and cracked. Try to limit winter walks to no more than 30 minutes at a time to avoid prolonging your dog’s toes to cold surfaces. Alternatively, consider boots or paw balms to provide your pup with a protective barrier for the cold.

2. Avoid any sweet treats

Most sweet treats at Christmas are a mix of nightmare ingredients for dogs. Chocolate (particularly dark chocolate) contains a compound called Theobromine which acts as a dangerous stimulant for dogs. Other festive treats such as Mince pies and Christmas Pudding are packed full of Raisins, Currants and Sultanas which are toxic if eaten by dogs, and in many cases can even be fatal.

3. Leave Christmas Dinner to the humans

Not only are Christmas Dinners commonly packed full of salt which can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea or seizures; this particular meal is also much higher in fat than an everyday dog’s dinner. This high fat content puts dogs at risk of developing a painful, and potentially life-threatening condition called pancreatitis. Signs include vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain as the pancreas (normally responsible for breaking down fats) becomes overwhelmed and inflamed.

4. Provide a safe retreat

Dogs are creatures of habit, and changes to their normal routine and household can be a little overwhelming around Christmas. If you have relatives and guests coming to stay, try to stick to your dog’s food and exercise routine as much as possible. And ensure there is always a bed, or safe hideout where your dog can go when they need some alone time.

5. And finally, keep munchables out of reach

Low hanging Christmas Tree chocolates, mince pies for Santa and presents under the tree may prove too tempting to resist for some pups! To avoid the risk of toxicities, choking or even gut blockages try to keep anything that could be eaten and swallowed out of harm’s way.