Here's why you should never feed your dog mince pies

Everyone loves a mince pie at Christmas.

But one dog owner had a close call after giving her pet pooch one without realising it could be deadly.

While the only risk to humans is a few extra inches to the waistline, raisins in mincemeat can be fatal to dogs.

It’s a scary fact that Pauline Warren discovered when she noticed that her 15-month-old Belgian Shepherd Mickey had snaffled a mince pie that had been left out.

After realising, 62-year-old Pauline, from Derby, Googled mince pies and discovered that Mickey’s life could be at risk.

She rushed him to the vets, where he required £1,000 in treatment including having his stomach pumped.

He made a full recovery but Pauline is warning fellow dog owners to be careful about leaving festive food out around their pets.

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She said: “When I spoke to the vet, she revealed just one raisin could have killed him. Don’t put your mince pies in arms reach of pets – you’re gambling with your dog’s life.

“Despite the fact some dogs can get away with eating a raisin or sultana and live to tell the tale, it’s not worth risking it. Just one can be fatal to some dogs, and enough to cause acute renal failure in your pup.”