A warning has been issued to households with a dog this Christmas.
Homes with a K9 furry friend are being warning over certain items that can cause "serious problems" for animals. The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), the veterinary charity for pets in needs, is urging pet owners to be aware of the common household items that can create havoc amongst animals during the festive season, reports Birmingham Live.
Veterinary nurse at the PDSA, Nina Downing, said: "Sticky tape, bows, ribbons, and string can be a choking hazard and cause internal blockages if swallowed by our precious pets.
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"Take care to pick up any leftover wrapping or toy batteries and watch out for the beady eyes of soft toys, as these can cause serious problems for our pets if chewed up and swallowed."
She added: "Not only can a sudden change in diet cause an upset stomach, some parts of our festive feast can also be highly toxic to pets, including onions, garlic, and mince pies.
"It’s also important to bear in mind potion sizes - a small dog breed, such as a Border Terrier, eating 4 pigs in blankets is the equivalent of a human eating an entire Christmas dinner with all the trimmings."
The expert went on to explain that Christmas lights can cause an issue too.
The bright lights can be "tempting to dogs", with baubles also often grabbing their attention. However, pets could break the glass and cut themselves or even bight through the fair light wires and give themselves an electric shock, Nina warns.
The vet nurse also urged owners to keep their dogs away from certain Christmas foods that can be highly toxic to pets.
As well as electrical issues, Nina is urging households to keep Christmas foods away from pets. Christmas food items can be highly toxic to pets, such as chocolate. With highly salted foods also a risk to their kidneys.
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