Thanksgiving is the biggest food-driven holiday of the year and truly kicks off the holiday season. You get together with friends and family and enjoy a wonderful meal and great company. For many of us, this also includes your pet or those of your friends or family. Most pet owners consider pets to be part of their family, so it makes sense to share the holidays with them, but when it comes to the Thanksgiving dinner, there are some things that shouldn’t be shared.
Some human food isn’t the best for your furry counterpart, and while some foods are OK for your pet, others can be quite unhealthy for our four-legged friends. Let’s take a closer look at what not to share with your pup this holiday season.
Stuffing
Stuffing contains multiple different ingredients, some of which are actually poisonous for household pets. If there are mushrooms, chives, onions, scallions, pepper, sage or leeks in your stuffing, your dog can be put at risk. Some of these ingredients can cause simple symptoms like an upset stomach, while others can cause serious health problems, including anemia that can occur from eating onions, leeks and other so-called “alliums.” The size of your dog and the amount consumed will affect the toxicity level, as well, but all in all, it’s probably just best to avoiding giving any stuffing to your pet.
Cranberry Sauce
The actual cranberry fruit does not cause problems for animals; in fact, cranberries can be found in certain pet foods and are chock full of vitamins. However, when this fruit is processed into a sugary sauce, it adds items like high fructose corn syrup which can upset your dog’s stomach. Certain sauces also contain raisins and nuts, which can cause adverse reactions, especially if your pup has an allergy to these ingredients.
Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Pie
Sweet potatoes and pumpkins are actually great for dogs. Pumpkin is great for settling upset stomachs, while sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index than other potatoes which makes them better for both us and our pets, notes Care 2. It’s not these core ingredients that are at fault, however – it’s the other contents of the pie. Cinnamon and nutmeg are highly toxic to dogs. Cinnamon can cause vomiting, diarrhea, low blood sugar and liver disease in dogs, and in the most severe and extreme cases, even death. Nutmeg contains myristicin, which while tasty to people, can lead to nervous system problems and possibly seizures in your pup.
Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole might seem like a delicious and healthy option for you to share with your pup, but this is a delicious dish best left only on your plate. This traditional Thanksgiving dish often contains fried onions, milk and mushrooms. Most dogs are lactose intolerant, so the milk and cream can cause diarrhea. Onions and mushrooms are toxic to animals, as we’ve already discussed, so we recommend avoiding this dish with your pet.
Fruit Salad
Fruit salad often contains grapes, which may seem innocuous, but actually can lead to serious and even fatal kidney problems, especially in smaller dogs. We recommend avoiding grapes and raisins at all costs.
Walnuts and Macadamia Nuts
Certain types of nuts are not great for dogs. Sure, peanut butter is fine – as long as it doesn’t contain xylitol! – but macadamia nuts and walnuts in particular can cause vomiting, lethargy and even seizures and other neurological disorders. The high fat content with nuts can also cause pancreatitis if your dog snacks on them regularly, so save these salty snacks for yourself.
Healthy Options
If you are looking for healthy options to feed your pup, we recommend sticking with raw carrots or broccoli. Fully cooked turkey breast is also a great option, but don’t let them have the skin, which may have been basted in toxic ingredients like onion and garlic. If you make your mashed potatoes without butter, milk, cream or onions, a small serving of spuds is also a safe option, but skip the gravy, since it is very rich and can upset a dog’s stomach.
By following these recommendations, you and your pet can have a safe and happy holiday season. Looking to grow your fur family or add a new labradoodle? Learn more about our currently available labradoodle pups online or call us at 877-850-2022 today.