Christmas dinner risk for 1m dogs

MORE than a million dogs will be rushed to the vets this Christmas after being fed festive dinner leftovers, a study has revealed.

Despite the majority of dog owners claiming to understand the dangers of feeding their pets human food, two-thirds are planning to give them traditional titbits.

The survey of 2,000 owners by natural dog food producer Forthglade found the most popular human foods served to dogs at Christmas are turkey, gravy and stuffing.

Toxic

Experts said festive ingredients such as onion, salt, raisins and sultanas can be toxic to dogs, while turkey scraps may contain bone splinters that could get stuck in a dog’s throat or pierce its intestinal tract.

Gerard Lovell, of Forthglade, said 1.3 million dogs will have to be seen by a vet over the festive period having eaten food designed only for humans.

Mr Lovell said: “It is essential that all owners understand that this misguided act of kindness can be potentially fatal.”