Warning issued as beloved pooch poisoned by Christmas mince pie
A warning has been issued to dog owners in Lancashire ahead of Christmas after a beloved pooch was poisoned by a mince pie.
Pet experts at MoneySuperMarket are highlighting the chance of toxic poisoning from food this season as a third of all pet poisoning cases occur over the holiday period.
This comes as Oliver Bennett from Leighton Buzzard, shares a story below about his dog Whisky, who fell ill after sneaking a leftover mince pie.
Oliver said: “As much as we try to be careful, mistakes happen, especially at Christmas when the house is full of people and there’s food everywhere.
“We usually keep the kitchen blocked off with baby gates, but with guests coming and going, someone left it open.
“Whisky is an opportunist, and the moment he spotted the gap, he dashed in, jumped onto the counter, and stole the one remaining mince pie from lunch.”
join our new WhatsApp Community to get the latest news and top stories from across Lancashire directly to your phone
He added: “At first, he didn’t show any symptoms, but we knew the risks and rushed him to an emergency vet within the hour.
“The vet made him vomit, which is exactly what they recommend in this situation, but it left us with a £673 bill because it was out of hours.
“Thankfully, our pet insurance covered almost everything apart from the excess.
“It was a scary experience and a reminder of how easily dogs can get hold of food they aren’t supposed to.
“We’ll definitely be keeping a much closer eye on Whisky for the rest of the Christmas period and making sure mince pies are safely out of reach.”
Data from The Insurance Emporium reveals that a third (33 per cent) of all pet poisoning cases happen over the festive period.
While it’s common for families with kids to leave out a mince pie for Father Christmas on Christmas Eve, insurance experts say that these traditional snacks could result in terrible consequences for your pet.
What are the dangers of mince pies?
To humans, mince pies are a delicious seasonal treat, but for cats and dogs they can be seriously harmful.
Pets’ bodies process certain ingredients very differently from ours, and the ingredients found in mincemeat can pose significant health risks when ingested.
What do I do if my pet eats a mince pie?
If your pet has eaten a mince pie or any other food containing harmful ingredients, contact your vet straight away.
Even tiny amounts of raisins can cause serious health issues, and quick action can make all the difference in preventing symptoms from escalating.
Keeping festive treats out of reach is the best way to avoid an emergency.
Other Christmas treats to watch out for include:
- Raisins.
- Sultanas.
- Currants.
- Grapes.
- Chocolate.
- Alcohol.
- Cooked bones.
- Caffeinated drinks.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Chives.
- Nutmeg.
- Cloves.
- Milk.
- Blue cheese.
- Xylitol (artificial sweetener often found in candy canes and sweets).
- Macadamia Nuts.
- Lilies (extremely toxic to cats).
- Decorative items mistaken for toys (tinsel, ribbons, and ornaments).
- Yeast dough (raw).