Thanksgiving has arrived and we know many of you are already familiar with food safety for your dogs, but for those of you who are new to owning a pup or you require a quick refresher, this post is for you!
Since our pups are family, we want to treat them with the same things that we enjoy, but it’s important for their safety that we be conscious of their specific needs when we spoil them. Unfortunately, many of the foods that we enjoy on Thanksgiving can be upsetting or even deadly for our pets, so it’s important to use caution on Thanksgiving. Raw vegetables and fruits like carrots or seedless apple slices as well as lean bits of meat are fine to share with our pets, but fatty or sugary foods are hard for your pup’s digestive systems to handle.
Sadly it is all too common a problem that dogs are given fatty foods like butter cookies or turkey skin and end up at the vet with acute pancreatitis as a result of Thanksgiving treats. It is important to make sure that your dog doesn’t get a hold of fatty table scraps even by accident during Thanksgiving dinner.
Another risk to your pup is sugar, which can be tough to digest; non-sugar sweeteners are even worse, they can be toxic to your dog. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that can be found in many human foods like chewing gum, peanut butter, and desserts. Xylitol can cause seizures, severe hypoglycemia and death in dogs who eat even a small amounts. Before sharing sweet treats, always check the label.
Turkey bones might seem like a good treat for dogs on Thanksgiving, but most Vets discourage this. Cooked bones are much more brittle than the smoked or raw bones made for dogs and can splinter into sharp pieces leading to internal injuries or blocked intestines. So if you want to give your pup a bone on Thanksgiving to keep them busy while you enjoy your meal, make sure it’s one made and sold just for them.
While it’s true our furry family members deserve some extra love on the day when we celebrate how thankful we are to have them in our lives, there are a lot of safe ways to do so; special bone or turkey chew is a great way to spoil your pup and keep them busy while you cook and celebrate. You can also pick up or cook them their own special turkey dinner that is dog-approved and purchase or make them their own doggie pumpkin pie, cookies or dog ice-cream for dessert!
Please stop by our recipe section here at Paws Give Me Purpose for many ways to spoil your pup on Thanksgiving and throughout the year!
From all of us here at Paws Give Me Purpose, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
