“Pass the turkey!”
“More stuffing, please.”
“Nomnomnom… Zzzzzzzz”
These are the familiar sounds of Thanksgiving, a day abuzz with the usual banquet of overwhelming good eats and treats, followed by that post-feast nap on the couch. While we feel very thankful for the food we share and the time we spend with loved ones, for pet parents, the safety and whereabouts of pets during the hectic holiday is a big concern –or at least it should be.
Like other holidays, Thanksgiving brings with it potentially pet toxic foods, dangerous decorations, and overzealous guests with leftovers for Fido and Patches. And, even in the best of cases, it’s easy to overfeed your dog or cat, which can result in digestive upset and even more serious issues like pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas resulting from overindulgence.
Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips
To keep your pet thankful this Thanksgiving, keep these holiday safety precautions in mind before that Turkey Day tryptophan kicks in and has everyone snoozing.
Keep a lid on it – The trash can, that is. Since there are numerous potentially toxic ingredients and human foods in there, it’s anyone’s guess what Chompers ate whilst gobbling down the garbage. To avoid accidental poisoning and foreign object ingestion, keep compost and trash in tightly-sealed containers, or in receptacles your pet cannot access.
No bones about it – Turkey, ham, and other meat bones can cause a number of serious health risks, from broken teeth to peritonitis. If you want to give your furry friends a little treat, opt for cooked, unseasoned sweet potato or cooked, deboned chopped turkey white meat.
Delicious danger zone – Of course your pet is going to loiter around the kitchen or dining room table… but, some of those scraps can cause digestive distress and even poison your pet. Common poisonous ingredients to be on alert for include:
Non-food Hazards – While we are busy keeping an eye on the food risks, there are other common holiday pet concerns, most notably, holiday décor. Items like holiday lights can become dangerous chew toys and open flames, while providing pretty candlelit ambience, can cause burns and accidents. Many popular plants and flowers are also poisonous to our kit and pooch, especially lilies and poinsettias.
Untrained Guests – Well-intentioned guests can create a lot of Thanksgiving havoc when tempted to hand out scraps or leave doors and gates ajar. To avoid accidental poisoning or escape, ask your family to follow the house rules when it comes to maintaining the safety and well-being of your pet.
From your friends at Billings Animal Family Hospital, we wish you a wonderful, warm, and pet-safe Thanksgiving!
