The Place

Actions

Do’s and don’ts of feeding your pets on Thanksgiving

Posted at 4:26 PM, Nov 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-14 18:26:27-05

Pet owners know how hard it can be to resist from giving your sweet little pet food-especially when they look up at you with giant doe eyes. But, there are some rules on what is acceptable and not to feed your pet for times when they're too cute to deny.

Dr. Ben Brown from The Travel Vet shares some do's and don'ts of feeding and handling pets during Thanksgiving:

  1. Teach pets to stop begging at the table
  2. Keep cats and dogs off the counters
  3. Inform guests how to properly interact with pets and not to feed them anything other than approved items
  4. Do NOT give your pets dangerous foods and make sure your guests know that also
    • This is the time of year that veterinarians see the most problems with pets
      • Rich, fatty foods such as gravy or green beans can cause pancreatitis or gastrointestinal upset
      • Garlic, onions, grapes/raisins and other spices can be toxic
      • Stuffing can be especially toxic to dogs because it contains a lot of ingredients that are already toxic
      • Pumpkin Pie or other pumpkin desserts are high in sugar and spices that can cause disease
      • Sweet potatoes with butter, sugar, marshmallows, and other artificial sweeteners are toxic to dogs
  5. List of good, vet-approved foods to feed your pets
    • Turkey-no skin, no bones, no herbs/spices, fully cooked
    • Mashed Potatoes-plain
    • Sweet Potatoes-plain steamed or boiled
    • Green Beans-plain steamed
    • Cranberry Sauce-only okay if it's low in sugar and has no xylitol
    • Pumpkin-canned pumpkin puree or pure pumpkin only
    • Carrots-excellent and safe option either raw or cooked

If you feel like your pet might have gotten into any toxic ingredients or ate the bones, please call your veterinarian. If your veterinarian is closed on the holidays, have an emergency option ready before any problems occur.