Thanksgiving is coming up! We know how easy it can be to get swept up in the holiday festivities, but we at Skyline Veterinary Specialists & Emergency want to remind you of hazards of the season so that you can protect your pet.
1. Turkey bones
When the turkey’s gone, the bones that remain are NOT a good chew toy for your dog. They are brittle choking hazards that easily splinter if chewed.
2. Salty turkey skin
Your Thanksgiving turkey will be basted in a number of tasty herbs and spices, like sage or dill, which are bad for your dog’s tummy. The fatty skin, added salty brine, and added butter isn’t very good for dogs either. When they start throwing the puppy dog eyes, you can give those pups a tiny piece of turkey breast, though!
3. Stuffing
This Thanksgiving staple often contains onions, which poison dogs’ blood cells.
4. Garlic bread
Garlic is a member of the onion family (as far as dogs are concerned), so this is also bad for their blood.
5. Sausage
Sausage is more than meat. Sausage also contains onions, garlic, and a bunch of other ingredients we’ve already mentioned.
6. Pecan pie
Dogs shouldn’t be eating dessert anyway, but nuts can cause muscle spasms and weakness of the legs for up to 48 hours. Walnuts and macadamia nuts are the worst.
7. Fruit salad
A good rule of thumb is to not feed dogs fruit with seeds or pits. These inflame doggie intestines. Yuck! So, no plums, peaches, or grapes. That includes raisins!
8. Booze
Whether wine or beer, alcohol is not good for dogs. Grapes and hops are both toxic to dogs, and so is the alcohol itself.
9. Pumpkin or sweet potato pie
This one’s tricky. Both pumpkin and sweet potatoes are good for dogs. But for Thanksgiving, many people add cinnamon and nutmeg to their pumpkin or sweet potato dishes, which isn’t so great for our pups.
10. Ice cream
Just like humans, some pups handle dairy just fine– others get a tummyache. It really depends on your pup.
11. Moldy foods
I’m sure you don’t intend to feed your dog moldy, rotted food, so what I’m really trying to say is watch your dog around your overflowing trashcan. Moldy foods produce harmful mycotoxins, which sound scary and do serious damage to your dog’s health.
Questions about keeping your pet safe this season? Contact us.