Thanksgiving for your pets: dos and don’ts

If you’re a pet owner there are a couple things to be aware of this Thanksgiving holiday. Veterinarians say now is not the time for sharing, especially when it comes to your food.

This Thanksgiving, let your pet try something new but don’t let it be from your plate. A lot of the delicious foods we eat on Turkey Day can be a recipe for disaster for your pets.

“The best thing you can feed your dog is dog food,” says Christina Delgado. Delgado is a shelter veterinarian and helped break down all the do’s and donts when it comes to human food.

“We don’t recommend that you feed your animals stuffing. A lot of stuffing has scallions, garlic, onions- all three of those components are toxic to animals and they can cause what is an anemia,” explains Delgado.

Because of the garlic that means mashed potatoes are also out of the question. And salads that contain grapes or raisins can be toxic too.

Add ham to that list as well. The most dangerous thing you could give your pet? Bird bones and yes that means turkey.

“It can actually penetrate through the stomach or the intestines and can potentially cause a life threatening infection,” Delgado further explains.

So what do you do if someone else at your table falls for the puppy eyes? Keep an eye out for the symptoms. Your pet may seem lethargic and quiet.

Then comes the vomiting. If you catch it early enough your vet can treat it. But if not, it’s gonna cost you.

According to Delgado, “if it’s a major abdominal surgery then we can be looking into the thousands of dollars.”

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