Thanksgiving is celebrated every fourth Thursday in November. A lot of people are now preparing what they will serve for the feast, and pet-owners will be sharing what they will eat during the celebration to their pets. However, some of our Thanksgiving dishes are not very good for our non-human bestfriends.
Grapes, Raisins May Cause Kidney Failure In A Pet
About 56 percent of PetMD.com readers admitted to sharing Thanksgiving table scraps with their pets. While it's great to share, you may want to avoid anything with onions or garlic, unless it is thoroughly cooked, because letting your pet have too much could result in toxic anemia. Turkey skin and other fatty foods are tough for dogs to digest. In some cases, their pancreas can become inflamed, resulting in pancreatitis. Also, foods which contain things like grapes or raisins, which can cause kidney failure in a pet.
Artificial Sweetener, Xylitol, Can Be Deadly To Pets
People who are weight conscious, especially those with diabetes, tend to use artificial sweeteners. One particular sweetener, Xylitol, is poisonous to pets and can be fatal. Small amounts can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death in dogs. As a matter of fact, in the past 5 years, Pet Poison Helpline, an animal poison control based out of Minneapolis, MN, has had over 1500 calls for xylitol poisoning, due to the growing awareness of this common kitchen toxin.
What Foods Are Okay To Share With Your Pets?
PetMD.com says that cooked vegetables like green beans and carrots are good for your pets. Mashed potatoes can also be a good choice for a treat, as long as they haven't been "enhanced" with things like gravy, onions, butter, sour cream. Breast meat is best - and make sure you cut off all the bones.
If you are not sure if your dish is okay for your furry friends, you may want to talk to a veterinarian first. After all, our pets are considered family, and we don't want food scraps to ruin a big celebration like Thanksgiving.
