Safe & Unsafe Foods for Pets During Thanksgiving

10 Nov Safe & Unsafe Foods for Pets During Thanksgiving

It’s that time of year again, can you believe it? Time to talk about the holidays, end of year celebrations, and of course of all the delicious feasts we get to enjoy between now and January. Thanksgiving brings families and friends together for some of the most memorable moments of the year. This also means new faces around our 4-legged family members. How often do we have visitors during the holidays and these very well-meaning friends and family want to show their love to our fur-babies via food!? Here is a quick list of both safe and unsafe foods for our pets during the Thanksgiving season.

Unsafe Foods for Pets

1. Turkey bones, skin, innards, drippings
   • Bones can become foreign bodies
   • Skin, innards, and drippings can cause significant GI distress and even lead to pancreatitis
2. Any food made with garlic or onions
   • Both are known toxins for pets
3. Chocolate of any kind
   • Small amounts lead to GI distress
   • Large amounts and those with higher cocoa concentrations can cause severe neurologic issues and even death
4. Macadamia nuts
   • Known toxicity
5. Nutmeg or foods made with nutmeg
   • Toxic in high amounts
6. High fat foods such as ham, bacon, and even other nuts
   • Can lead to severe GI issues and even pancreatitis
7. Uncooked breads/yeast
   • Digestion leads to fermentation of the yeast
8. Pies/Desserts
   • Can cause GI issues
   • In high amounts, sugars can cause caries lesions (cavities) in dogs
9. And Of Course – alcohol

Safe Foods for Pets During Thanksgiving

1. Lean, boneless, skinless Turkey – without any gravy or seasonings
2. Sweet potatoes and cooked white/gold/red potatoes in limited quantities – without seasonings
3. Carrots
4. Pure pumpkin
5. Apples – without the core
6. Green beans without seasonings

Our team at Your Pet Dentist wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!