Thanksgiving is a time for celebration with family and friends, including your canine and feline buddies. When preparing your pet’s Thanksgiving feast, here are some foods that are safe, and others that should be avoided:
SAFE TO SHARE WITH PETS:
- TURKEY/WHITE MEAT – white meat only, not seasoned.
- GREEN BEANS – set aside some fresh (or fresh-frozen) green beans when making your famous green bean casserole. Green beans are an excellent snack for dogs. But if you’ve already put all the green beans into the casserole, do not share with your pup – the gravy and seasonings are not good for pets!
- FRESH CRANBERRIES – if you’re making cranberry sauce from scratch, save a few fresh cranberries for your pup’s feast. If your cranberry sauce is already prepared or from a can, do not share as the added sugars are bad for pets.
- FRUIT SALAD – apples, blueberries and watermelon are great snacks for dogs. Picking out a few pieces for your pooch is fine, but avoid any grapes, raisins or syrup.
- PUMPKIN – if you’re making a homemade pie and use fresh pumpkin or pure pumpkin puree from a can, you can include some in your pup’s feast – pumpkin is excellent for digestion. Just make sure NOT to give canned pumpkin pie ‘mix’ as it contains sugar and other seasonings that are harmful for pets.
DANGEROUS FOODS – DO NOT FEED THESE ITEMS TO YOUR PETS:
- TURKEY SKIN – avoid feeding turkey skin as it is very fatty and contains seasonings that are harmful for pets.
- TURKEY/DARK MEAT – avoid feeding dark meat as it is richer and more fatty than lean meat and can cause pancreatitis.
- TURKEY BONES – avoid feeding cooked turkey bones. Raw bones are fine for your dog, but cooked bones of any kind are very dangerous because pieces can break off and pose a choking hazard. NEVER feed your dog or cat cooked bones!
- STUFFING and GRAVY – avoid feeding these items in any amount as they contain many harmful ingredients for pets.
- DOUGH – while you’re baking up all those tasty holiday breads, cakes, and cookies, make sure you don’t share any raw dough with your pup. Raw eggs can cause salmonella, and the dough itself can cause painful abdominal bloating.
- NUTS – while some types of nuts are not harmful to dogs, all nuts contain fat and should not be given in excess. Some nuts, however, are extremely harmful to dogs. We feel it’s better safe than sorry and avoid nuts altogether. Some especially bad nuts for dogs are:
- WALNUTS – black walnuts are toxic for dogs. Moldy walnuts can contain poisonous mycotoxins.
- PECANS – pecans contain a toxin that can lead to tremors and seizures in dogs.
- MACADAMIAS – macadamia nuts can cause vomiting, lethargy, and other neurological symptoms.
- CHOCOLATE – avoid feeding anything with chocolate to your pets. Save the chocolate for the humans!
When preparing your pet’s feast, remember to choose wisely, and serve in moderation. Overdoing it can cause gastric distress, so keep it simple. Quality treats served with love don’t need to be excessive – your pet will be thrilled – they’re thankful just to be with you!!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!! 🦃❤️