Your pet is part of the family, and Thanksgiving is a family holiday, right? Why shouldn't Fido or Fifi hang around for the festivities? If your pets are invited to the holiday gathering this year, be sure to keep them safe by following a few Thanksgiving pet safety tips:
- Never give your dog or cat a turkey bone. They are brittle and prone to splintering, which can pose a choking or laceration hazard. Instead, carve a few choice bits of fully cooked bird (pets can get salmonella poisoning, too) for your furry baby, and put it in her bowl.
- Don't allow your guests to feed your pets table scraps from the table. It's not only bad manners and encourages impolite begging, it could foster a food jealousy instinct and lead to an unintentional (or intentional) nip.
- Keep any dishes with sage and other herbs away from your pet. The herbs contain essential oils which can cause nervous disorders, stomach upset, and depression in your dog or cat. (Cats are especially at risk for this malady.)
- Keep raw bread dough away from the furry ones, as it will rise in their warm tummy and cause intestinal problems that could be fatal.
Feed the pets only small amounts of people scraps to avoid tummy troubles. Keep the desserts away from your pets! Chocolate and cocoa powder can make your dog sick or even kill him. Sugar is not good for pets, and undercooked batters that contain raw eggs can cause salmonella poisoning.
