Pete the Vet: The facts about feeding your pets Christmas leftovers … – Irish Examiner

Think twice before giving your furry family member that bit off your dinner plate!
‘Tis the season of leftovers! In the days between Christmas and New Year, many of us have fridges that are full of the uneaten surplus of food that we prepared for our seasonal feasting. Often there’s simply too much for the humans in the household to consume, and it’s very easy to turn to the furry members of the household for help. It’s perhaps no surprise that the most common reason for visits to the vet at this time of year for pets who have succumbed to gastroenteritis, often caused by overeating of rich seasonal foodstuffs.
So what should pet owners do? Is it possible to safely combine the surpluses of the moment with generous indulgence to our much-loved pets? Or is it safest just to take a stern line: no human goodies for animals?
Purist nutritional experts would, indeed, recommend the latter approach. Dog and cat food is designed to be complete: it contains all of the nutrients our pets need. And the most common dietary problem seen in pets in Ireland is an issue caused by excess: animals that are overweight and obese. So the last thing most animals need is extra food, especially treats that are tasty, high in fat and liable to upset their digestive systems. They would say that the main benefit from feeding leftovers to pets is the pleasant feeling that it gives to owners. It makes us feel that we are being extra kind to our pets, and that we are not wasting food that might otherwise be thrown out.
My own view is that there is a balance to be reached here: wise use of leftovers so that we can have that self-satisfied feeling (and make our pets happy) without risking ill effects. We do need to follow sensible guidelines to achieve that goal.
First, be aware that there are some foods that should never be given to dogs and cats. These are not as well known as they ought to be, and some are so toxic that if pets inadvertently eat them, a vet should be contacted immediately to check on what emergency action should be instituted.
Chocolate is the first one: if a pet eats more than one square of plain, or two squares of milk chocolate per 5kg body weight, they’re at serious risk of heart arrhythmias that can be fatal. The safest action is a rapid visit to the vet so that they can be given an injection to cause them to vomit, so that their stomach is emptied before any of the dangerous ingredients can be absorbed into their system.
Grapes – and raisins – are the next dodgy food item. The toxicity of these remains mysterious: we still do not know what ingredient in grapes can make them poisonous, and we also know that many dogs have eaten grapes without ill effects. However, there’s also evidence that some dogs have developed fatal kidney failure after eating small amounts of grapes. It’s thought to be some type of mycotoxin that may develop invisibly on grapes under certain conditions of warmth and moisture. It’s impossible to predict this, so the ultra-safe option is to avoid giving dogs all grapes and raisins, and if they do eat more than a smidgeon, again they should be taken to the vet for vomit induction to empty the stomach. And if they have eaten an abundance of grapes or raisins, the vet may recommend hospitalisation and intravenous fluids for a day.
Onions also need to be avoided: there’s no harm in dogs having the mixed-in chopped and cooked onions that we use in human meals like stews and stuffing. But if they tuck into a serious level of onions, such as onion soup, or finishing that takeaway box of onion-themed Thai food that nobody else wanted, then serious issues can follow. There are chemicals in onions that destroy dog red blood cells, causing a dramatic and life-threatening anaemia. The best rule of thumb is to just avoid giving onions to dogs. Trust me: they won’t miss them.
There are other toxic foodstuffs, from macadamia nuts to xylitol artificial sweeteners. If your pet eats these, you need to speak to the on-duty vet about what to do.
What about regular leftovers: turkey, veggies, ham, sausages and bacon? How should we approach giving these to our pets?
My rule of thumb is simple: don’t give pets more than 10% of their daily ration as food that’s unfamiliar to their digestive system. Boring as it may look, their usual daily food is good for them, and they thrive on it. So it’s best to keep giving them 90% of their food intake as their regular chow.
And when choosing the 10% of goodies, try not to include too much fat. Dogs love fat – whether it’s in gravy, or congealed on the roasting tin, or edges cut off our own meat, or bacon rinds. They enjoy the taste. But fat can provoke all sorts of digestive complications. The gall bladder goes into overdrive, producing secretions to emulsify the fat. The pancreas steps up a gear, squirting out enzymes to digest the fat molecules. This may be fine in fit, healthy dogs, but it can provoke dramatic crises in dogs with underlying health issues like gall bladder inflammation or pancreatitis. So again, the safest answer is to go easy on the grease: the bin, or feeding the wild birds, is the best place for this stuff.
Have a lovely Christmas. Stay safe, and keep those much-loved pets safe too.

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