Christmas is often a busy and expensive time of year. Dog owners everywhere will be hoping to avoid unnecessary vet visits with their beloved pets. The holidays are a time to indulge, but should we really share our delicious treats with our dogs, or could we be doing them more harm than good?
We caught up with Elizabeth Bradley-Covey RVN CertECC, a Lecturer in Veterinary Nursing at Hartpury University, to find out more.
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Five sausages
“Every dog loves a bit of sausage (as Punch and Judy demonstrate), but it’s important that only a ‘bit’ is offered,” says Elizabeth.
“Sausages are delicious, but they contain a high amount of fat that makes them difficult to digest for dogs, often upsetting a fragile organ called the pancreas and therefore causing pancreatitis.”
Four Christmas puddings
“Christmas puddings are well loved by humans and rightly so. However, for dogs they contain a hugely toxic combination of raisins and alcohol. If your pet ingests any, it’s important to seek veterinary help right away.”
Three turkey bones
“It was once commonplace to give your dog a bone from a roast. However, they can cause gastrointestinal upsets and even a blockage. Choose a Christmas treat from the pet shop instead.”
Two Toblerones
“Chocolate and Christmas are a match made in heaven – for humans, that is. Dogs can sniff out chocolate, even if it is beautifully wrapped under your tree. Chocolate is highly toxic to dogs and the darker it is, the more toxic it is due to a higher concentration of theobromine. If you really feel they’re missing out, dog chocolate is available from pet shops, but they really are just as happy with their standard pet food.”
And a raisin toxicity
“Raisins are everywhere at Christmas including in puddings, cakes, and mince pies. What makes raisins so toxic to dogs is still poorly understood, but sometimes just a few raisins can cause kidney damage.”
Final word
“I love Christmas and it’s often an enjoyable time for your pets too. You may be at home more and able to spend more time with them, heading out on long walks and generally soak up the festive season. However, do take time to keep all those delicious human treats away from pesky paws and inquisitive noses. Nobody wants an emergency vet visit that can be so easily avoided during the holidays.”
Study Veterinary Nursing at Hartpury University
Hartpury University can help you qualify as a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Registered Veterinary Nurse.
Our four-year BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing includes a continuous clinical placement in the second year, to really hone the skills developed in the Hartpury Clinical Skills Centre during year one. On graduation, students are eligible to join the RCVS Register of Veterinary Nurses and practise as a Registered Veterinary Nurse. There’s also an option to pursue an equine pathway with our BSc (Hons) Equine Veterinary Nursing. We have a 100% track record of veterinary nursing undergraduates entering employment or further study within 15 months (Graduate Outcomes 2022).
For those already working in a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons-approved veterinary nursing training practice, our Diploma in Professional Studies Veterinary Nursing allows students to acquire university-level expertise and an industry-recognised qualification in just two years.
Earlier this year, Hartpury University announced an online RCVS-accredited Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing that offers students a chance to specialise in one of four areas of clinical interest. RCVS accreditation means students will also be able to enrol on the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing.
