While cooking Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll likely catch a pair (or two) of sad eyes, patiently waiting for you to drop something their way. You’ll likely be tempted to share some of your delectable feast with your fur baby. Some Thanksgiving food is perfectly safe for your dog or cat in moderation. And, some foods are safe to share generously. That said, some food is best left only for human consumption. Today, we’re discussing Feasting with Fido and Fluffy: Thanksgiving Food Safety for Happy, Healthy Pets.
Thanksgiving Foods that are Safe for Pets
Many of our Thanksgiving staples are safe for cats and dogs. Lean turkey breast, for example, is safe in moderation. Potatoes, carrots, and green beans are also safe unless they are spiced or slathered in butter. And, pumpkin puree (not the pie filling, the plain canned pumpkin) as well as plain baked sweet potatoes are great choices, even outside of Thanksgiving dinner.
Thanksgiving Foods that are Not Safe for Pets
When it comes to the turkey, don’t share the skin and discard cooked bones to prevent your pet from accessing them. Turkey skin can upset bellies due to its fat content. Cooked bones can splinter, potentially causing mouth, esophageal, and gastric injury. In addition, gravy and casseroles can conta
in too much salt and fat for a dog or cat. As a general rule, we encourage pet parents to avoid giving their pets onion, garlic, and raisins, which often find their way into holiday recipes.
In addition, avoid sharing anything too spicy or with too much sugar and butter. Pets don’t often discern what will upset their stomach and, dogs especially, will indulge only to regret it later. The last thing you want to do is end up at an emergency veterinarian after guests have gone home. More on vets and Thanksgiving below.
Thanksgiving Guests & Pet Safety
Speaking of guests, let your family and friends know what your pet can and cannot safely enjoy. If the guests are small children (or messy adults) who might drop food on the floor, consider putting your pet away in a bedroom during the meal. That way, your pets aren’t begging or distracting guests from under the table.
Also, make sure to update pet tags and microchip information just in case they make a run for it when guests arrive or depart. Often, when friends and family come over for a holiday celebration, it can be hard to stay on top of everything, making it the perfect storm for lost pets.
Thanksgiving & Veterinary Visits
Thanksgiving is a great time to get together and enjoy a feast with friends and family. Unfortunately, veterinarians report increases in office visits after major holidays due to upset tummies and other digestion issues. If you stick to pet-safe foods to share with your fur family, you can be one less frantic pet parent managing pancreatitis during what should be a calm and safe holiday for everyone.
Thanksgiving Travel & Pets
At Animal Admiration, we love the holidays because it’s often the time when we get to spend time with pets we don’t see regularly. If you are an existing client and have travel planned, we ask that you please schedule visits as soon as you plan your trip. Scheduling in advance will allow us to accommodate your request, whereas, waiting until the week (or even the same month) as major holidays may make it tough for us to fit your pet in.
If you’re new to Animal Admiration, LLC, you may learn more about our dog walking and pet sitting services and contact us by email at info@animaladmiration.com or by phone at (281) 391-1015. We ask for at least a couple of weeks’ notice for new client registration.
Animal Admiration currently serves the following areas of Houston: Katy, Fulshear, Richmond, Energy Corridor, Memorial, West Houston, Cypress
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