Thanksgiving Safety Tips
Thanksgiving is a holiday that many people enjoy with their families, including their furry family members. While it’s great to let your beloved pet in on the fun and festivities, it’s important to keep their safety in mind. There are many food hazards to be aware of when it comes to Thanksgiving holiday, and the team at MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital is here to help! Check out our Thanksgiving pet safety tips:
Beware of These Food Hazards
It can be tempting to feed your dog or cat some bites from your Thanksgiving plate, but sharing is not always caring in this situation. Many common Thanksgiving dishes are prepared with several ingredients that are harmful and toxic to your pets. Watch out for these dangers and keep your pets safe:
Turkey: While this one may seem tempting, resist the urge to feed your pet turkey from your plate. It’s often seasoned with ingredients that can be toxic or irritating to your pets digestive system. If you cannot resist the temptation, only give your pet small pieces of unseasoned and fully cooked white turkey meat.
Bones: Turkey bones can become very dangerous when swallowed or consumed by pets. They can be a choking hazard, and can also splinter inside your pet’s digestive system. If you believe your pet has consumed turkey bones, take them to your veterinarian immediately.
Garlic, Onion, Chives, and Leeks: These are common ingredients that are toxic to your pets, and they are found in many Thanksgiving dishes from gravy, to stuffing, green beans, and more. Avoid feeding your pet any food that may contain these ingredients, even in small amounts.
Bread Dough: Raw yeast bread dough is incredibly dangerous for your dog or cat. If ingested, the yeast will continue to convert the sugar in the dough, which turns into carbon dioxide gas and alcohol in your pet’s stomach. This can become a life-threatening emergency for your pets, and would require hospitalization.
Dessert: Many pet owners are aware that chocolate is incredibly toxic to dogs, but they might not know that other ingredients such as raisins, currants, and sweeteners such as xylitol are very dangerous as well. Avoid feeding your pets any desserts as a precaution.
Remember to keep an eye on the counter when you’re preparing your Thanksgiving meal, so inquiring noses don’t end up eating anything dangerous. The same goes for after dinner. Keep an eye on the leftovers to make sure your pets don’t sneak a taste.
Stuff Your Turkey, Not Your Pet
Keep your pet extra safe this year, and save a special pet-safe treat just for them during the holiday meal. You can give them their favorite packaged treat, or prepare your own! Pumpkin is a pet-safe food that can be added to their meal, but make sure it’s fully cooked and cut into small pieces. You can also add a spoonful of canned pumpkin, but avoid the canned pumpkin pie mix. Other safe ingredients include berries, carrots, spinach and bananas. Remember to avoid overfeeding your pet, since they could end up with a stomach ache and unpleasant digestive issues.
If you’re unsure if something is toxic for your pets, contact our knowledgeable team at (916) 939-1705. The team at MarketPlace Veterinary Care is here to care for your pets, during turkey season and year-round!