Food to Watch Out For
- Turkey: Avoid giving your pet dark meat, and never give your dog a bone to chew on. This is a big choking hazard. If you want to give your dog any turkey, give them a small bit of unseasoned white meat.
- Seasonings: Onion, garlic, chives, leeks, and other common Thanksgiving seasonings are toxic to dogs and cats. Avoid giving your pet any cooked foods that contain these ingredients.
- Desserts: Not only is chocolate toxic for dogs, but other common dessert ingredients like eggs and sweeteners are bad for dogs too. Make sure to keep your Thanksgiving pies out of reach!
- Bread Dough: Raw yeasted dough is a big danger for pets, and can even require hospitalization. Keep your pet safe by keeping them away from any uncooked (or cooked) pie dough or rolls.
Pet-Friendly Food Options
While there are many foods to avoid, there are some Thanksgiving foods that you can share with your pup, in limited quantities.- Fruit and veggies like uncooked carrots, green beans, apples, and unsweetened pumpkin puree are all safe treats that you can give to your pet.
- While you're feasting away at the Thanksgiving table, a great way to keep your dog or cat occupied (and not hovering under the table) is to give them their own special treat! A big bone to chew on will keep them happy and occupied.
- Dole out any treats in small doses so that you don’t upset your pet’s stomach. It’s also a good idea to give them treats away from the area where you are preparing and serving food so that they don’t come back looking for more!
Other Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe
- Make sure that your pet can’t get into the trash to find any food scraps after the meal is cleared away.
- Inform any guests you have about not feeding your pet from the table
- As people are coming and going, make sure your pet is kept safely away from the door