Mince pies may poison dogs, says pet charity

Almost a third of a million pet dogs could be poisoned by being fed human foods like Christmas chocolates and mince pies, a leading British charity has warned.

Dogs are made ill by theobromine, a common ingredient in chocolate, animal charity PDSA said.

It has released its PAWS Report, claiming 4% of dogs — an estimated 324,000 animals — are often fed the sweet treat by their owners, despite the adverse effects of chocolate on dogs, which include vomiting and drooling, and in extreme cases leads to an irregular heartbeat, kidney problems and even death.

PDSA said it sees more than 400 cases a year, including a spike around Christmas and the New Year.

Elaine Pendlebury, PDSA’s senior veterinary surgeon, said: “Obviously Christmas and New Year is a time to celebrate and it’s great to involve our pets too.

“Unfortunately in my time as a vet I’ve seen many Christmases ruined as a result of owners mistakenly giving their pets something like chocolate or a mince pie that contains harmful dried fruits.

“These foods might be okay for us, but can make pets very ill or tragically, can even cut their lives short.”

Ms Pendlebury added that the high sugar content of chocolate is no good for pets either, contributing to obesity and dental diseases.