Keep These Thanksgiving Foods Away From Your Pets

Don’t Share These Holiday Foods With Your Pet

It’s hard for us humans to resist all the tempting dishes on a Thanksgiving table, and it’s just as hard for some of us to resist sharing the deliciousness with our pets.

However, much of our holiday feast can be downright dangerous for dogs and cats, so let’s dig into the Thanksgiving foods you should avoid giving to your four-legged family members.

While plain turkey and mashed potatoes are just fine for your furry friends, all the seasonings and spices we usually add to those dishes aren’t good for pets.

Onions, garlic, chives and other related vegetables can be toxic for dogs and it doesn’t matter if they’re raw or cooked. Hours after eating them, your dog could be left with symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.

(MORE: Which Holiday Items Can I Bring On The Plane?)

Keep those unbaked dinner rolls out of reach; the yeast in the dough can keep rising in a dog’s stomach, causing painful bloating and even potential ruptures. The Morris Animal Foundation also points out that the rising yeast produces ethanol and carbon dioxide, which can cause alcohol poisoning.

That’s also the same reason that you should avoid dropping ham or other cured meats into the dog bowl.

While we’re on the subject of meat, skip giving your pet the fatty skin from the turkey and avoid most meat bones, which can splinter and cause cuts in your pet’s stomach.

Keep their paws off the pies! While plain pumpkin, sweet potato or apples are all safe for dogs, once again, the spices we add can be harmful. So no foods with nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, pumpkin pie spice and cloves.

The No. 1 thing you can do is keep an eye on your pets as you prepare your Thanksgiving meal. It’s also not a bad idea to tell your guests and family members not to be charmed by those adorable, begging puppy eyes.

Do you prepare special foods for your pets during the holidays? Or do you have tips or tricks for keeping them away from those tempting holiday foods? Share your ideas in our comment section below.