Foods To Keep Your Pets Away From This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time of abundance but should your pet get a plate as well? We’ve put together a list of foods to keep your pets away from this Thanksgiving to save you a Thanksgiving trip to the emergency vet.

Stuffing

Stuffing often contains onions and garlic which are toxic to pets. If your pet gets into a teeny, tiny amount of stuffing that’s okay but you shouldn’t be giving them a plateful.

Ham & Pork Products

These products tend to be very fatty which is hard on their digestive tracks.

Poultry & Bones

You want to keep any cooked bones away from pets, especially chicken bones. Chicken bones can splinter and are harder to digest which can lead to tearing of the esophagus, intestine, or stomach as well as blockages that require veterinary care.

Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes by themselves aren’t bad, it’s the things we add to mashed potatoes that make them unhealthy. Butter, dairy products, green onions, pepper, can give your pet quite a stomach ache. If you’re looking for a great made-for-humans mashed potato recipe, this is one of my favorites from Taste of Lizzy T.

Grapes & Raisins

While less common at Thanksgiving tables, grapes and raisins may be found in things – like stuffing. Or they may be served in a bowl of nuts as a snack. Grapes and raisins are extremely toxic to cats and dogs and can cause kidney failure.

Nuts

On of the foods to keep your pets away from this Thanksgiving is nuts. Most nuts are extremely high in fat which can cause digestive issues.

Chocolate

Chocolate is one of the most common things pet parents are aware their their furbabies shouldn’t have. But remember, the darker the chocolate the more toxic it is due to the higher cocoa content.

Bread Dough & Yeast

Bread dough and yeast should be avoided due to the alcohol content produced by the yeast, especially in uncooked dough. Uncooked dough is also not safe due to the yeast being active and continuing to rise. Dough can expand well over three times the size it starts out at if conditions are right. It would be like you swallowing a loaf of bread whole!

Gravy

Gravy has a lot of toxic ingredients (garlic and onions) in addition to the high fat content. This makes it harder for your pet to digest and gives them tummy troubles.

Want to make your pet a Thanksgiving plate still?

Including your pet in the festivities can be fun but we want to make sure our pets are safe. Here is a list of traditional Thanksgiving foods (with some tweaks) so your pet can get their own plate.

• Canned, plain pumpkin – not pumpkin pie filling;
• Sweet potato dog chews – you can either make these yourself or purchase them from your local pet store;
• Turkey or Pork wet pet food – wet food comes in a variety of flavors. Consider picking up one that is turkey or pork;
• Carob treats – carob is the pet-safe version of chocolate. You can find a variety of carob treats at your local pet store