Candy canes on the tree look festive, but are they safe for your dog to eat? The answer is a resounding no. While a few leaves of a peppermint plant won’t hurt, more than one or two leaves can cause irritation of the mouth and nose as well as gastric distress.
Many hard candies contain Xylitol, an additive very toxic to dogs. The dangerous chemical causes dogs to have a drop in blood sugar leading to seizures and even a coma.
Anything with peppermint essential oil in it is poisonous for dogs. It can cause mouth and throat irritation, drooling, and vomiting. Even inhaling vapors of the oil can cause respiratory distress. (So be careful what you use in an air diffuser.)
If you suspect your dog has eaten peppermint take him to the vet right away.
Does your dog beg for food other than his dog food over the holidays? We’ve included a list below for items to avoid.
Bones
Onions
Garlic
Grapes
Alcohol
Chocolate
Coffee
Nuts
Yeast dough
Fatty meats or meat scraps
Food cooked with nutmeg
Food with xylitol as an ingredient
Avoid these foods to have a happy and healthy holiday for you and your pooch.
Resources:
All proceeds from Thousand Hills Pet Resort support New Life K9s. New Life K9s provides service dogs to veterans and first responders with PTSD at no cost to them.