Thanksgiving is a time we enjoy family, friends, and pets, they are part of the family. Pets are not so thankful for undercooked turkey, chocolate, and salted foods. We have the does and don’ts for a safe Thanksgiving meal for your pets.
Thanksgiving Food You Can Feed Your Pets:
Turkey (unseasoned/cooked) | Sweet Potatoes | Green Beans (raw) | Carrots (unseasoned) | Pumpkin | Apples | Bread (baked) | Corn | Eggs (cooked)
Thanksgiving Food You Should Not Feed Your Pet:
Gravy/Butter | Bread (raw) | Stuffing | Ham | Marshmallow | Bones/Fats/Skin | Desserts | Onions | Garlic | Grapes/Raisins | Cranberry | Turkey (raw) | Green Beans (cooked) | Mushrooms | Cake | Alcohol | Mashed Potatoes | Corn (on the cob) | Nuts | Eggs (raw)
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Talkin’ Turkey: If you decide to feed your pet a small bite of turkey, make sure it’s boneless and well-cooked. Don’t offer her raw or undercooked turkey, which may contain salmonella bacteria. Do not give your pet the leftover carcass–the bones can be problematic for the digestive tract.
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No Bread Dough: Don’t spoil your pet’s holiday by giving him access to raw yeast bread dough. When a dog or cat ingests raw bread dough, the yeast continues to convert the sugars in the dough to carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. This can result in bloated drunken pets, which could become a life-threatening emergency, requiring hospitalization.
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Don’t Let Them Eat Cake: If you plan to bake Thanksgiving desserts, be sure your pets keep their noses out of the batter, especially if it includes raw eggs—they could contain salmonella bacteria that may lead to food poisoning.
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A Feast Fit for a King: While your family enjoys a special meal, give your cat and dog a small feast of their own. Offer them made-for-pets chew bones. Or stuff their usual dinner—perhaps with a few added tidbits of turkey, vegetables (try sweet potato or green beans) and dribbles of gravy—inside a food puzzle toy. They’ll be happily occupied for a while, working hard to extract their dinner from the toy.
Courtesy ASPCA>
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