Gobble Gobble TimeIt's that time of year again. We are gathering around the table with our loved ones. And those loved ones should include our four-legged one. With that said, however, we should be careful with the way we show the love of our pets during the holidays. They can't process the fatty foods the way that we can. They shouldn't be able to sit at the table beside you and eat the leftover dessert off your plate (or sneak a bite when you aren't looking). Below is a great article about Thanksgiving holiday dangers that you need to be cautious of and avoid. Happy Thanksgiving!!! Thanksgiving Holiday Dangers to Avoid Posts by: Dr. Justine A. Lee, DVM, DACVECC Dog Checkups & Preventive Care Ah, Thanksgiving, a joyous holiday when friends and family join us for football, lounging and all-day tryptophan-filled turkey tasting. The smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie and turkey all baking in the oven slowly filter through the house, driving you — and your dog — slowly mad. With all of this temptation, it’s tough not to get distracted, but let’s not forget that with delicious human food comes pet risk. As a board-certified veterinary specialist in both emergency critical care and toxicology, I felt it would be a good idea to tell you how to avoid a visit to the animal ER! Here are a few simple tips to help pet-proof this Thanksgiving holiday (which would make your emergency veterinarian grateful too!). Keep your dog out of the kitchen—or better yet, crate him. ![]() Accidental counter-surfing can result in severe poisoning to your pet, ruining your holiday and causing you shame when you have to induce vomiting in your dog in front of all your friends and family (Always check with your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center prior to inducing vomiting). Don’t let friends and family feed your pets Next, make sure your guests know the house rules: Don’t feed your pets. Your friends and family may not be aware of the common kitchen foods that are quite poisonous to pets. Politely inform all your guests to keep their food out of reach and to ask permission before feeding any treats (particularly if your pet has food allergies). Dump the trash
The most dangerous Thanksgiving foods So, what tops the list for the most-dangerous, Thanksgiving foods? Check out my top 7 list here: 1. Grapes and raisins ![]() Raisins are commonly found in stuffing, baked goods and as snacks. When ingested, these fruits from the Vitus sp. can result in severe acute kidney injury. Signs of poisoning often don’t show up for days, until kidney failure has already taken place. 2. Xylitol ![]() If you have any calorie-counting chefs in the kitchen (I mean, really, why bother on this holiday?), you may want to verify that they haven’t used any xylitol in the baked goods. Xylitol, a natural sugar-free sweetener, is a sugar substitute used in a ton of products nowadays: baked goods, certain brands of peanut butter, gums, mints, mouthwashes, nasal sprays, chewable vitamins, etc. When ingested by dogs, it can result in a massive insulin spike, causing a life-threatening hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and even liver failure with higher doses. 3. Fatty table scraps While I’m guilty of feeding my own dog table food (and yes, he gets to lick the dinner plate when I’m done), I’m savvy about what is healthy and not. Fatty table scraps like gravy, turkey skin, etc. are potentially dangerous to your dog, as they can result in severe pancreatitis. Certain breeds are especially sensitive, including miniature schnauzers, Shetland sheepdogs, and Yorkshire terriers. Even a piece of bacon can trigger pancreatitis in dogs, so when in doubt, don’t feed it to your dog or cat! 4. Bones and turkey legs
5. Onions, leeks, chives and garlic
6. Unbaked yeast bread dough
7. Alcohol
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