Can dogs eat christmas pudding?
The full picture
Christmas pudding is essentially a concentrated delivery system for the things dogs shouldn't eat: raisins, sultanas, currants, mixed peel (citrus oils), suet (fat), and typically brandy, rum, or stout. A slice of Christmas pudding can cause acute kidney failure in a medium dog. The fact that many households serve it with brandy butter (more alcohol and fat) makes Christmas Day a particularly risky time for dogs. Any Christmas pudding ingestion warrants an urgent vet call, even if your dog seems fine.
If your dog has already eaten christmas pudding
Risks to watch for
- Grape-family toxicity — kidney failure
- Alcohol toxicity
- Pancreatitis from suet
- Citrus oils from mixed peel
Safe portion size
None.
Safer alternatives
- Dog-safe Christmas treats
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