Dos and Don’ts of Thanksgiving Dinner and Your Pet

We’ve all heard about the great turkey scare that many veterinarians inform
us about with the holidays. I’m here to tell you NOT everything about the
turkey is bad!

When we need to use caution is with the cooked carcass that ends
up in the garbage unsupervised while you are in a food/tryptophan coma.

The cooked carcass causes concern mainly because­, as most of us know, the cooked bones do not digest in our pet’s digestive system and can penetrate or puncture the intestinal wall. When poultry bones have been cooked they have changed in chemical make­up making them no longer pliable cartilage but sharp daggers ready to do harm. If you want to give your pet part of the turkey, dig those giblets out of the carcass before cooking it and feed the heart and gizzard raw to your cat or dog.

You also need to understand that if you pet has never had raw before, you may only want to give them a small piece of the neck and put the rest in the fridge to use as treat nuggets over the next few days. Pets do not need the meat cooked in order to digest it.

Some pets don’t do well with cooked Turkey from our Thanksgiving meals. Many
families baste their turkey with butter and oils that can upset our pets
stomach because they aren’t used to the added condiments. The cooked skin can
be of concern to those pets that may have sensitivities and the extra fat could
throw them into a pancreatitis attack.

Besides the turkey there are some other food items on the menu that should
be kept away from pets. Many desserts that contain chocolate, any dish that
contains onions, cooked bones, alcohol, and macadamia nuts should be avoided.

Especially keep an eye on family members who may be consuming alcohol and think it’s a brilliant idea to let Fido try it. Alcohol is not good for our pets.
With sensitive animals it can induce seizure activity.

Many of our healthy side dishes could be served to our pets in small
portions if you wanted. Sweet potatoes are a great for cats and dogs, but not
casseroles that have been loaded with brown sugar. Cranberry and orange relish
would be a nice topping on your pet’s dinner if they like tart fruits. A dollop
of cottage cheese could also be an acceptable food topper to make them feel
included in the holiday. A handful of blanched green beans set aside before
making your green bean casserole would be a crunchy little treat. Be creative
and avoid the fats or sugars.

And let’s not forget about how stressful the holiday can be to us and our
animals. If your cat or dog has some anxiety or diarrhea, stop and think about
your routine.

Could the behavior be caused from you frantically trying to pull together your first Thanksgiving meal? Could a family member cause a stressful situation for your dog? Did Grandma bring over a treat for Fido that he hasn’t had before that may have caused some diarrhea? Our animals and their behavior can reflect what is happening around them with their human caregivers.

Overall, be smart and make sure the turkey carcass ends up in a garbage
receptacle with a closed lid preferably out of your pet’s reach.

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Have a blessed and safe Thanksgiving holiday.