Thanksgiving is the day to get together with family and celebrate the holiday season with delicious, homecooked meals. While enjoying the feast, make sure that pets have an enjoyable and stress-free day. Some people can’t resist giving their dogs food from the table, especially during the holidays. This is one reason that proper dog training is important.
Taking Precautions
Dog training with a professional who uses compassionate methods can curtail bad behavior, but it’s a good idea to ask guests not to feed family pets to avoid any possible emergencies. Pet owners in Golden can take advantage of dog daycare if they aren’t able to adequately supervise their dogs during the holiday, especially if entertaining a large group is in the plans, and restricting the dog to a kennel is too confining.
Certain foods should never be fed to pets. To avoid emergency visits to the vet, learn about what foods it’s safe to feed pets and which ones could spell disaster. These are the foods that are toxic to dogs.
Alcoholic Beverages
Pets should never be allowed to ingest drinks containing alcohol. Beverages containing alcohol can cause vomiting and diarrhea, damage to the central nervous system, and even death.
Caffeinated Food or Drinks
Any products that contain caffeine including coffee and chocolate can cause abnormal heart rhythm, hyperactivity, seizures, and tremors. Keep chocolate desserts and candy out of the reach of your pets.
Fruits and nuts
Kidney failure in dogs can be the result of consuming raisins or grapes. Milk and flesh of coconuts can cause stomach upsets. High levels of potassium are in coconut water, which is harmful to dogs. Macadamia nuts can cause problems that include weakness, depression, tremors, and hyperthermia. Symptoms may last up to 48 hours.
Other types of nuts could cause pancreatitis. Citrus fruits, their leaves, stems, peels, and seeds can cause digestive upsets. If ingested in large amounts, depression of the central nervous system can result. Pits and seeds from various fruits may cause obstructions. When artificial sweeteners like Xylitol are used to sweeten fruit, it can cause liver failure when too much insulin is released into a dog’s bloodstream.
Milk and Dairy Products
Never give dogs raw bread dough which could potentially cause a life-threatening situation. If cats or dogs ingest uncooked bread dough, the sugar is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide, which can cause bloating. The same principle applies to a cake batter. Dogs can get salmonella from raw eggs in the batter. Uncooked eggs and meat can cause severe conditions like salmonella and E.coli. An enzyme found in raw eggs can decrease absorption of the B vitamin biotin.
What About Thanksgiving Day Foods?
Some people think that it’s alright to give their dogs turkey skin. However, it’s fatty and hard for dogs to digest. The butter, oils, and seasonings that are rubbed into the skin before the turkey is roasted, can be harmful to dogs.
Turkey carcasses and bones can cause serious problems in the digestive tract, and turkey that’s undercooked could cause salmonella. Cooked bones are dangerous for dogs. Bones in any game bird are brittle and can break off easily. Small bone fragments can lodge in the intestinal tract.
High-fat foods such as gravy can cause pancreatitis. If you want to treat your pets, spoon a little turkey broth over their food. Mushrooms, onion and garlic are used a lot in holiday recipes. Although perfectly safe for people, these foods shouldn’t be given to pets. Toxins in mushrooms can result in shock or death. Garlic and onions can cause damage to red blood cells and anemia. Excessive amounts of salty snacks like potato chips can cause sodium iron poisoning in dogs.
Important Tip
When you use plastic wrap and aluminum foil, throw them away in a place where pets can’t get at them to lick off fat or other substances. If pets ingest bits of foil or plastic, obstructions in the intestinal tract can result.
Thanksgiving Treats For Dogs
Dog owners may want to let their pets have a taste of some of the holiday feast, but make sure that the foods are safe. If your pets eat unhealthy foods, they could get severe digestive upsets or pancreatitis which is very painful. Some suggestions for Thanksgiving treats for pets are bits of fully-cooked turkey with small amounts of safe vegetables. A lot of the natural pet foods on the market contain turkey and vegetables, and most dogs love them. Natural treats that don’t contain artificial ingredients can be added to the dog’s food. Here are a few safe foods to add to a dog’s
Thanksgiving dinner:
- White meat, cooked turkey without the skin
- Cooked green beans without any butter or seasonings
- Plain mashed pumpkin or sweet potato
- Cooked carrots, unseasoned
- Gravy without spices, herbs, onions, or sweeteners
Precautions With Food
Some foods may not be toxic, but can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. It’s always better to err on the side of caution and ask the veterinarian. When a dog tends to pick up and eat anything they find on the floor, it’s often difficult for the owner to stop the behavior. Most owners don’t want to confine their dogs to a kennel, but don’t have the experience to train them.
Dog Boarding For Thanksgiving
Dog owners in Golden and Lakewood with busy schedules find dog daycare to be a helpful option when planning holiday activities. Dogs are happy when they have plenty of activity and are less likely to engage in destructive or harmful behavior. Pet Peeves offers dog daycare and boarding with structured programs and play groups designed to suit the needs of each dog, with play groups based on their temperament, the level of activity, size, and personality. The dogs get a lot of attention and sufficient exercise in the large, outdoor play area. During cold weather, they can frolic in the indoor space with heated floors for added comfort.
For owners who find dog boarding in Lakewood or Golden necessary during the holidays, daycare, special dietary needs, medications, and exercise are included in the cost. Supervised play and exercise at Pet Peeves can be beneficial in keeping a dog content and well adjusted while they’re away from their owners.
