IF you’re anything like me, with Christmas Day over you’ll be feeling as stuffed as the turkey yet still have a fridge full of leftovers.

But don’t be tempted to treat the dog to these human tit-bits before getting clued up on which festive foods shouldn’t find their way into the dog bowl.

Each year, 1.3m dogs require treatment over the festive break as a result of owners unknowingly feeding them harmful human food. Last year, a friend of mine had to seek emergency help after sneaking the family pooch some grapes off the cheese board, a mistake she won’t be making again. Save yourself the panic by swotting up on the foods to avoid.

First up is the onion. Commonly found in stuffing, soups and gravy, onions can attack the dog’s red blood cells and cause life-threatening anaemia, so don’t be tempted to pour any gravy over your dog's dinner.

In fact gravy itself is incredibly dangerous to dogs, not only because it’s high in fat but also because of its huge levels of salt which can cause kidney damage in our canine friends.

As my friend found out the hard way last year, grapes, raisins and sultanas are a big no-no.

These currents play a big part in Christmas pudding, cakes and mince pies. They are highly toxic to dogs and, in severe cases, can cause renal failure.

Most people know that chocolate is banned when it comes to dogs: it contains caffeine and theobromine, a toxic stimulant that can cause sickness, diarrhoea and can even be fatal to dogs. Dark chocolate is even more poisonous because of its higher cocoa content.

Turkey may seem like a safe special treat option, but splinters from poultry bones can get stuck in their throat or even pierce intestinal tracts. Be sure to check-over any meat you give your doggy to avoid that trip to the emergency vet.