Thanksgiving soon will be here, and, naturally, the highlight of the holiday is the Thanksgiving meal – turkey, filling, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie (and more).
And if you have a pet, you can be sure he or she will want to have some of that turkey dinner as well. Many people do feed their dogs leftovers, and that is fine. It is a good way for the animal to get his protein and vegetables. But there are things you need to look out for, because some foods are not good for your pet to eat. Here is a little thumbnail guide for feeding your pet on Thanksgiving.
- Turkey and mashed potatoes are definitely OK.
Turkey is a great source of protein. Just make sure to get rid of any excess skin or fat. Stick to lean white meat, and take out the bones.
And mashed potatoes are fine, but make sure you give your pet just potatoes and nothing else – cheese, butter, cream or gravy all should not be given to your pet.
- Avoid alliums.
Allium is the scientific classification for the vegetable group that includes onions, garlic, leeks, and scallions. If your pet eats too much of these foods, he could get toxic anemia.
- Grapes are a no-no, but cranberry sauce is fine.
Grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs, possibly leading to kidney failure. But cranberry sauce is OK in small doses.
- Watch foods containing artificial sweeteners.
Artificial sweeteners with xylitol are poisonous to animals.
- Thumbs up to macaroni and cheese.
If your pet can digest dairy foods, it is fine to give him macaroni and cheese.
- Absolutely no chocolate.
Most pet owners are aware of the dangers of chocolate. But during the holidays you also need to watch out for baking chocolate that is part of a recipe for other foods.
- Green light to green beans.
These veggies are a good source of nutrition for any pet. But again, make sure you are giving them just the beans. If they are in a casserole, for example, watch out for any other ingredients that may not be good for your pet.
- Alcohol is out.
This is something you definitely need to avoid giving to pets because it is toxic to them. And here too, watch out for alcohol that is in other foods, such as fruit cakes, so that you don’t give these to your pet either.
Heading out of town for the holiday? Let your dog have a little holiday, too, and board him here at Barney’s Ranch where he can play with other dogs in our 4,000-square-foot outdoor dog run. Contact us at (469) 273-1661 for more information.