Thanksgiving With Your Pets: Foods You Can and Cannot Feed

10-25   

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time where we give thanks to those we appreciate in our life by sitting down and engorging ourselves in delicious food. In our celebrating, many want to include their pets since they are our kids and without them, things would be more mundane. However, we need to be cautious of what we can and cannot feed our pets since what we enjoy could be very dangerous to them. Simple foods we heartily savor could be lethal to them; turning a pleasant holiday into a tragic nightmare. So, while we prepare our meals for the festivities, let’s learn what are some unsafe and safe treats for our pets. 

Unsafe: 

Turkey Skin / Ham: very fatty which can cause digestion issues like pancreatitis. 

Turkey Bones: break apart and splinter, which can tear the esophagus and stomach lining, causing internal bleeding while obstructing the digestive tract. 

Onions/Scallions/Garlic: very toxic to pets, causing anemia. A small amount of garlic can be safe for pets, but large amounts are dangerous. 

 Stuffing: commonly seasoned with large amounts of onions and garlic, which is very toxic to pets. 

Mashed Potatoes: potatoes and sweet potatoes are generally safe, but mashed potatoes are generally seasoned with butter and milk, which can give pets digestion issues if they are lactose intolerant. 

Grapes/Raisins: very toxic to pets, damaging the kidneys and could be fatal if ingesting too many. 

Alcohol: contains yeast which ferments in the pets’ stomach, causing bloating, indigestion, and vomiting. 

Chocolate: contains theobromine which pets cannot digest properly, and can lead to numerous health risks. Dark chocolate is extremely dangerous. 

Instead, try these healthy alternatives snacks: 

Skinless and Seedless Apples: very nutritious and savory snack. 

Turkey meat: flavorful, filled with protein and delicious; white meat being less fatty than dark meat. 

Unseasoned Green Beans: small snack filled with high quality vitamins and minerals. 

Pumpkin: very delicious, good for skin/coat care and digestion. 

Plain Sweet Potato: healthy, excellent source of quality vitamins and minerals. 

Always be mindful of your pets allergies (if any) to ensure they have a safe and healthy holiday weekend with you. 

In the case of an emergency, have a phone number for poison control ready and you are aware of the nearest 24/hour emergency clinic as many local veterinarians are closed for the holidays.