Thanksgiving should be a time of togetherness and good feeling. A time of sharing family recipes. The last thing you want for your holiday is an emergency trip to the veterinary hospital. Unfortunately, there are a number of dangers in the areas where you prepare and eat your food that could cause just such a scenario.
Here’s a few simple ways to avoid potential pitfalls:
- Keep your pets out of the kitchen. Counter-surfing (where your pet sneaks a lick of your worktop) can result in severe poisoning to your pet.
- Don’t let friends and family feed your pets. Make sure your guests know the house rules. Politely inform all your guests to keep their food out of reach and to ask permission before feeding any treats. Your pet may have food allergies they may not be aware of.
- Dump the trash. Somehow your dog or cat will find a way to get into it, and leftover corn-on-the-cob, yummy string that goes around the turkey legs, turkey skin, bones, moldy food, and fatty grizzle all pose a threat to your pet.
Certain Thanksgiving foods pose a particular hazard for your pets. The top 7 most dangerous Thanksgiving foods are:
- Grapes and raisins
- Xylitol (a naturally occurring alcohol found in most plant material, including many fruits and vegetables. It is widely used as a sugar substitute and in “sugar-free” chewing gums, mints, and other candies.)
- Fatty table scraps
- Bones and turkey legs
- Onions, leeks, chives and garlic
- Unbaked yeast bread dough
- Alcohol
Make sure you take these few simple precautions and avoid spending your Thanksgiving in the vet’s waiting room!
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