The festive season brings with it all sorts of delights, including delicious meals, lazy days and sunny rays. While these things are all brilliant, it’s important to be aware of some of the health risks for our pets — like the Christmas foods that are dangerous for dogs.

Here are some potential dangers to keep an eye out for over our summer Christmas.
Table of Contents:
- Christmas food dangerous for dogs and pets
- Travel concerns
- The danger of heat
- Parasite threats
- Christmas tree ornaments aren’t toys
- Fireworks phobia
Don’t feed your pet scraps from Christmas lunch
You may think that you’re treating your pet when you share a bit of the Christmas ham with them, but your pet’s tolerance for rich and fatty foods is much lower than yours. Plus, some of your favourite Christmas foods are toxic to pets.
Avoid letting your pet indulge on rich, fatty foods
Pancreatitis is often a sudden, severe and painful illness that can come from your pet overdoing it on leftovers or raiding the bin. Signs of pancreatitis include:
Keep your bins well sealed and out of reach. High-fat meats are particularly dangerous for dogs – so the Christmas trimmings and fat are definitely off the menu.
Watch out for toxic foods
Some of the ingredients in traditional Christmas foods, including onion and garlic, are toxic for our pets – both dogs and cats. Macadamia nuts are another common food associated with toxicity and diarrhoea in dogs. Chocolate is toxic to pets and should never be shared with them. Raisins, grapes and sultanas that are often found in fruit cake and mince pies are also toxic and off the menu.
What to do if your dog has eaten something dangerous over Christmas
If you’re concerned your pet has eaten too much fatty food or something that’s toxic over Christmas, call your nearest emergency veterinary hospital for advice.
Travelling? Keep your pet safe in the car
We all know the frustration of the long drive to our holiday destination, and pets can often feel this too.
Keep your pet properly restrained in the car
Unrestrained pets are distracting to the driver and can become airborne if the car unexpectedly stops, swerves or becomes involved in an accident. Keep them restrained for your safety and theirs.
If your pet is small, travel with them in a pet carrier. Let them sleep a few nights inside with toys before you leave to help them feel comfortable and secure before the journey.
If you aren’t using a carrier, your pet must be safely and securely restrained with a car safety harness or seatbelt extension.
Reduce the chances of travel sickness
Some pets struggle with travel sickness, so you should avoid feeding them on the morning before a big trip. You can also find a range of safe and effective anti-nausea travel medications from your local Greencross Vets team.
Remember to take regular rest breaks
Even if your pet is a seasoned traveller, the ‘Stop, Revive, Survive’ rules apply to them, too. Stop every two hours so they can stretch their legs, use the bathroom and have a big drink of water. Never leave your pet unattended in the car.
Make sure your pet is comfortable in the car
If your pet is a bit anxious in the car, there are also dog and cat specific natural pheromones that may help to keep your pet calm during their travels – Adaptil for dogs and Feliway for cats. Placing a small towel over your cat’s travel carrier may assist the wary feline, but ensure they stay cool.
Don’t allow your pet to overheat
Australian summers are hot and humid, and pets are more prone to heat stress over this period. Dogs and cats don’t sweat like we do, so it’s important to take steps to prevent your pet from overheating.
Keep your pet cool in summer
Be sure that your pet has lots of water, available from multiple sources, at all times. It’s good to put ice cubes in their water or make some healthy frozen treats for them.
If it’s really hot, keep them indoors, in a cool room like a tiled bathroom or laundry. Pets that really struggle with the heat will benefit from a fan or air-conditioning.
Never ever leave pets in cars unattended or tied up outdoors.
Watch out for signs of heat stress in your pet
Signs of heat stress include:
- Uncontrolled panting
- Bright red gums and tongue
- Salivation
- Vomiting
- Anxious pacing
- Stumbling
- Collapse
If you notice any of these signs, place your pet under cool running water, and urgently seek help from your closest vet or call your local emergency veterinary team immediately for advice.
Keep up to date with your pet’s parasite prevention
Ticks and fleas are a risk to your pet all year round, but the hot, humid weather of summer is when they’re at their worst.
If you’re travelling with your pet, be sure to check if your destination is a tick hotspot as tick paralysis can be fatal.
Fleas are also more active in the summer and are associated with irritation, itching and allergic dermatitis in some dogs and cats. But don’t forget that fleas will bother you, too!
There are a number of products available to safely treat fleas and ticks on dogs and cats – remember that some dog products are toxic to cats. Your local Petbarn or Greencross Vets team will be able to advise you on which products are suitable for your pet.

Keep wrapping paper and decorations out of reach
Baubles, lights, tinsel, wrapping and cracker toys are at their best on the tree, but can cause huge problems for your pets.
Shimmering and bright tinsel, toys and baubles will draw pets’ interest, and they will often end up accidentally ingesting them. Sometimes they can become stuck and require surgery.
Prevent access to the tree prior to Christmas with a play pen fence or keep the tree in a room you can close off.
On Christmas morning, be careful with the decorative elements. Perhaps set your dog up outside with a meal or chew treat. Avoid allowing your cat to play with ribbons as these too can cause problems if eaten.
Ensure your pet has access to a safe place during fireworks
The year always ends with a bang – literally. Fireworks be a major source of noise phobia for our pets, especially dogs.
Ensure your pet has access to a safe place during fireworks
The year always ends with a bang – literally. Fireworks can be a major source of noise phobia for our pets, especially dogs. If there are fireworks in your area over the festive season and your pet reacts badly, there are some ways to help.
- Ensure that your pets are indoors and secure well ahead of the scheduled time.
- Take them for a walk earlier in the day so they are naturally tired in the evening.
- Consider feeding them earlier than usual to avoid toileting accidents.
- Create a cave-like retreat for them in a room that can be made as dark and quiet as possible, with their normal bed or other familiar items in that area with a small amount of food and water available.
For animals that have a history of phobia there are a range of very effective strategies and medications available via your local Greencross Vets team.
Whatever you have planned for the festive season, be sure you know your closest 24/7 emergency veterinary hospitals, just in case. You and your pets are sure to have a safe and happy festive season with proper planning.
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