Just one bite of a mince pie – or any festive treat containing raisins and sultanas – could be fatal for your dog this Christmas.
Press and Journal reporter Lindsay Bruce found this out the hard way when her seven-month-old Labrador retriever Barley scoffed the treat left out for Santa.
Knowing grapes were bad for dogs the family sought advice online and were horrified to discover how serious it could become for their puppy.
According to Vets Now both grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs and can lead to acute kidney failure or even death.
The website added that while all forms of grapes are bad for dogs, it’s thought the dried versions of the fruits are more likely to cause severe symptoms if eaten by your dog.
For the Bruce family it meant an emergency trip to the vet near midnight on Christmas Eve resulting in a huge vet bill to ensure Barley’s wellbeing.
Lindsay said: “He had to have a special injection to make him vomit, charcoal medicine to use in the coming days and we even discussed keeping him in for fluids which would have cost thousands more.”
Christmas food is particularly dangerous because of all the dried fruit.
Items like stollen, Christmas puds and clootie dumpling are the main offenders.
Vets Now said: “Our vets have seen emergency cases when just one grape has been eaten but in other cases, a handful may cause no symptoms.
“That’s why it’s best to always best err on the side of caution and contact your vet or your nearest emergency vet if your dog has eaten a grape.”
Lindsay Bruce is a journalist, author and speaker