Thanksgiving Feasts and Four-Legged Beasts

When you sit down at the table for your annual Thanksgiving meal, it can be very difficult to say no to your dog or cat when he or she looks up at you with those big eyes and begs for a bite. But there are some Thanksgiving foods that you should absolutely not give to your dog or cat under any circumstances.

While a small taste of turkey that has been deboned and stripped of its skin or a tiny bit of plain mashed potatoes won’t hurt, notes VetStreet, you definitely shouldn’t overdo it. You should also take note of the restrictions – no bones or skin for your dog or cat’s bit of the big bird, and only plain mashed potatoes without milk, butter, garlic or onion seasonings.

Stuffing is one example of a food that should be kept far from your pet. It often contains onions, garlic, scallions and other spices and ingredients that could potentially be dangerous to your dog or cat’s digestive system, says PetsBest. For example, the items that make stuffing so flavorful can actually cause anemia in animals, so avoid the temptation and the sad eyes and enjoy stuffing yourself.

Most gravies are also too rich for dogs and cats, although depending on your recipe, if you have a bit of low-sodium chicken broth, you could serve that up as a good substitute. You should also be sure you don’t feed your dog any xylitol, which a sugar substitute sometimes found in sugar-free marshmallows – like the ones you might use in your sweet potatoes. While perfectly fine for humans, xylitol is a serious toxin to dogs.

Last, you may want to consider keeping the pumpkin pie dessert to yourself. While pumpkin would be safe for your pup – and actually is something we commonly recommend to help pups with runny stool problems – the milk that’s included could irritate a lactose intolerant dog’s stomach. Not to mention the whipped cream topping! Avoid the mess and keep this sweet treat to yourself.

As a general rule of thumb, you should never feed your dog or cat from the table without first checking whether or not a particular food could be toxic to them. If you do run into any issues over Thanksgiving weekend or anytime during the holiday season, Powell Veterinary Service is here to help. To schedule an appointment for veterinary exams or services, call us today at 970-352-9164.