ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — With Christmas almost here, pet owners should prepare for one of the most dangerous times of year for their animals.

Nationwide reviewed more than a million insured pets and found big spikes in emergency vet care in December, especially in the last two weeks of the month. Chocolate-related emergencies jump 182% in late December, with average treatment around $814. If pets swallow decorations, gift parts or wrapping, surgeries can run about $3,500.

Dangerous holiday foods

Pet owners should make sure their animals avoid certain foods, along with rich, fatty table scraps. The wrong food upsets the stomach and pancreas and treatment can cost anywhere from $786 to more than $1,600.

Foods on the holiday “naughty list” for pets include:

• Onions
• Garlic
• Chocolate
• Grapes/raisins
• Spices
• Bones
• Xylitol

Dr. Paige Thomas at Bush Animal Clinic said these foods can be extremely harmful for pets.

“A foreign body is going to take a couple days for that to get lodged somewhere and cause a problem like vomiting,” Thomas said. “Now, if they’ve eaten something like table scraps or chocolate or something of that nature, then they’re going to see those effects pretty quickly. Vomiting, diarrhea, so they need to be seen ASAP.”

Creating a holiday safety plan

Thomas said it’s important to create a gameplan for pets during the holidays. Pet owners should keep an eye on what’s at their pet’s level, secure decor and food, and resist sharing fatty leftovers.

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