Thanksgiving and Your Pet
Thanksgiving is just around the corner! As you’re getting ready to celebrate and indulge with family and friends, make sure you’re prepared when it comes to your furry friend. Between the delicious food and quality time spent with friends and family, there’s plenty to be thankful for while celebrating this year. However, you won’t be thankful if your holiday is spent at the vet with a sick pet!
Food
When saying the word “Thanksgiving”, comfort food often comes to mind. However, while you’re enjoying your festive feast, make sure to keep your pet away from any potentially harmful foods.
- Turkey: If you know for a fact that your pet’s digestive system can handle turkey, you can give them a very small amount of well-cooked, skinless and boneless turkey. If you’re unsure at all about how your pet will react to eating turkey, don’t feed them any. Pets should not be fed any turkey skin or meat drippings as fatty and rich foods can cause stomach issues in your furry friend, including pancreatitis. You also need to make sure your pet is not eating any turkey with bones in it, as they can ingest the bone which can damage their intestinal tract.
- Desserts: If there will be desserts as part of your thanksgiving feast, be sure to keep your pet away from them. Similar to turkey skin and meat drippings, the high fat content found in nuts in many holiday desserts can lead to pancreatitis if ingested by your pet. Chocolate, macadamia nuts, raisins and grapes should be avoided at all costs as they are toxic to pets.
- Alcohol: As it is toxic to them, pets should never be given alcohol.
Just because your pet is unable to enjoy the same delectable meal as you doesn’t mean they have to miss out on all the fun! There are plenty of drool-worthy (and festive!) food and treats available to keep your pet’s belly full and their tail-wagging this holiday season.
Decorative Plants
If you’re planning on incorporating a decorative plant into your home for the holidays, whether as a centrepiece on your dinner table or on the mantle, it’s important to do your research beforehand. Make sure that any plant you’re bringing into your home is not harmful to your four-legged family member, as there are many plants that are toxic to pets when ingested and can cause them to become ill or worse.
Family
In addition to getting sick due to something they’ve eaten, there’s also the potential for an unpleasant experience if your pet is meeting family and friends for the first time. While properly greeting a dog or cat for the first time may seem like common sense to you, keep in mind that not everyone has had the same exposure to pets. If this is the first time your pet will be meeting your family and friends, be sure to talk to them beforehand so they understand the proper way to greet your new fur baby and ensure everyone remains happy and safe!
