Supplementing the AAHA advice from the second post in the Animal care services and community section above are recommendations from Veronica Villanueva, DVM, medical director at VEG ER for Pets in Woodland Hills, California. She provides straightforward guidance on hazardous holiday plants and decorations. She also recommends quiet spaces for pets and paying attention to doors and gates.
Source: Los Angeles Times, November 24, 2025. Link. “The holidays are packed with foods pets cannot safely eat. Chocolate is the one we see most often, and even small amounts can cause seizures or heart issues in dogs.”
Risky foods include:
- Grapes and raisins can trigger kidney failure.
- Alcoholic beverages and unbaked dough can cause toxicity.
- Onions, garlic and macadamia nuts can be harmful.
- Bones can splinter and block the intestines.
- Fatty scraps can lead tp pancreatitis.
- Xylitol in sugar-free baked goods can cause dangerous drops in blood sugar and even liver failure.