Thanksgiving is over but think twice before sharing leftovers with our furry friends. Here are the Top 10 Tips for Feeding Pets Thanksgiving Leftovers.
Your dog or cat will inevitably be begging to join in on Thanksgiving dinner. While this can be a great way to add protein and fresh vegetables to your pet’s diet, there are also hidden dangers in holiday fare. Consider these ten tips to keep Thanksgiving a safe holiday for your pet.
Please check with your veterinarian before feeding your pet any table food; especially if they're on restricted diets.
Top Ten Tips for Feeding Pets Thanksgiving Leftovers
#10 Yes to Turkey
Turkey can be a wonderful lean protein to share with your pet. You will just want to be sure to remove any excess skin or fat, stick with white meat, and make sure there are no bones. Try making these homemade dog biscuits, they'll love them!
#9 No to Alliums
Nothing with alliums (i.e., onions, garlic, leeks, scallions) should be ingested by your pet. While it is true that small, well-cooked portions of these foods can be okay if your pet is used to it, ingesting these foods in large quantities can lead to toxic anemia.
#8 Yes to Potatoes
Potatoes are a great vegetable to share with your pet. However, even though the potatoes themselves are not harmful to pets, be aware of additional ingredients used to make mashed potatoes like cheese, sour cream, butter, onions, and gravies.
#7 No to Grapes
Many people are unaware that grapes and raisins, can be toxic to pets. The fruit has been shown to cause kidney failure in dogs. This also applies to wine!
#6 Yes to Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Sauce is fine for pets, but watch the amount of sugar in it. It is probably best to only provide a small helping to your pet’s plate.
#5 No to Xylitol
While you may be making the healthier choice by cooking with artificial sweeteners over the real thing, sweeteners containing Xylitol are poisonous to animals, and potentially deadly to dogs.
#4 Yes to Macaroni and Cheese
If you know your pet’s stomach handles dairy alright, macaroni and cheese is a safe leftover to share. If you are unsure though, it may be best to just give plain macaroni. Cats often develop lactose intolerance when they become adults.
#3 No to Chocolate
Chocolate is off limits for pets. During the holidays, however, baking chocolate is used in recipes and sometimes forgotten about. Make sure this holiday season that your pet does not ingest any chocolate; especially the baking kind.
#2 Yes to Green Beans
Plain green beans are a wonderful treat for pets. Fresh vegetables are a great addition to any diet. If the green beans are included in a green bean casserole though, be conscious of the other ingredients in it.
#1 No to Alcohol
Alcohol is definitely a big NO for pets. What we may consider a small amount can be toxic to a smaller animal.
Also, keep in mind that alcohol poisoning can occur in pets from atypical items like fruit cake (the recipe may have called for rum or other liquor), as well as unbaked bread.
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*Updated November 2017
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