Thanksgiving Safety Tips for Pets

Food Safety

Thanksgiving is largely about food. Of course, not all people foods are safe for pets. Here are some Thanksgiving foods to be careful with:

Turkey – A few small, boneless, and well-cooked pieces of turkey should be fine. But never offer your pal raw or under cooked turkey because it could contain salmonella bacteria. Keep the leftover carcass (and all bones) away from your pet, too. Dogs and cats have a hard time processing fatty foods like turkey skin, and even small pieces of bone can lead to gastrointestinal injury.

Bread Dough – If your dogie or kitty ingests raw bread dough, the yeast will continue to convert the dough’s sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol, a combination that could become life-threatening for your pal.

Pies and cakes – Keep puppy and kitty noses out of the mixing bowl while you’re baking because raw eggs can lead to food poisoning. Also, if you’re using the artificial sweetener xylitol (found in certain peanut butter brands) in any desserts, be aware that this can be fatal if consumed by pets.

Chocolates – A nice box of chocolates looks great on your table. However, chocolate can be harmful to both dogs and cats and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, high blood pressure, seizures, and other symptoms.

Decoration Dangers

Although pumpkins and decorative corn aren’t toxic, ingesting too much can give your little buddy a bad case of tummy upset. You’ll also want to be careful with candles that curious puppies and kitties could knock over, as well as any decorations that have small pieces that your pet could easily choke on.

For some families, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season. If you’re using the long weekend to put up your tree and lights, keep glass ornaments (especially the metal hooks), tinsel, pine cones, and light strands out of paw’s reach.

Keep your best friend safe this Thanks Giving Month