It’s common to want to treat your pets during Thanksgiving and other holiday gatherings. But giving them some of your meal can have bad results! Keep reading to find out which traditional holiday foods can be harmful to pets.
Holiday Foods That Are Dangerous For Pets
Imagine this scenario: The table is beautifully set for a tasty holiday dinner. There’s turkey and all the fixings, the family is gathered around happily, your dog is resting on your lap, and your cat is sitting on your shoulder. It’s a picture-perfect holiday moment! But you don’t want your day to turn into a visit to the vet or something worse, so make sure your pet stays away from these traditional holiday foods.
Poultry Bones
Cooking dries out poultry bones, making them brittle. If your pet eats them, they can break into sharp pieces and hurt his stomach or intestines. To keep your pet safe, throw away the turkey bones after carving the turkey. Also, clean up the table as soon as you’re done eating to avoid accidents.
Turkey Skin
Many holiday foods, such as turkey skin and gravy, contain fat. Pets have a hard time digesting fatty foods, which can lead to a painful sickness called pancreatitis. This sickness can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness. It’s not worth the risk, so if you’re not going to eat it, throw the turkey skin away.
Alcohol
We all know that too much alcohol can poison people. But did you know it’s even worse for pets? Because they’re smaller and can’t handle it like humans can, even a little bit of alcohol can make them very sick. Signs that your pet might be in trouble include stumbling, slow breathing, heart problems, and even death. The safest thing to do is to keep your drinks away from pets where they can’t reach them.
Onions
Garlic and onions contain thiosulphate, which can cause red blood cells to burst in cats and dogs, causing hemolytic anemia. Onions are especially dangerous—even a small amount can be very harmful. Watch out for symptoms like breathing problems, tiredness, throwing up, and diarrhea.
Garlic has less thiosulphate, so it’s not as risky. But it’s still not clear if pets could eat enough to get sick. In small amounts, garlic seems to have health benefits that are more important than the risks.
Various Types Of Nuts
Macadamia nuts and pistachios are high in fat and can lead to pancreatitis, which we talked about earlier. They might also have a toxin that can cause neurological problems.
Pets can’t digest almonds, walnuts, and pecans well, and these nuts can block their intestines, especially if they’re small. Your pet would probably prefer different snacks!
Chocolate
Chocolate has theobromine and caffeine, which are harmful to cats and dogs. The amount of these substances varies in different types of chocolate, with cocoa powder having the most and white chocolate having the least.
Pets can easily smell chocolate, so keep it in a place where they can’t reach it.
Grapes And Raisins
In 1989, veterinarians discovered that grapes and raisins can cause sudden kidney failure in dogs. The exact toxin is still unknown, but it’s clear that even small amounts of raisins can be deadly for both cats and dogs.
Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting and hyperactive behavior at first. Then, diarrhea may occur, followed by loss of appetite, tiredness, and sadness. Eventually, the kidneys can fail. So, it’s crucial to keep desserts, dressings, or fruit baskets containing raisins or grapes away from your pets.
Doughs With Yeast
It might seem strange, but your pet’s stomach is just right for bread to rise. If your pet eats raw dough, it can expand in their stomach and make them vomit, have strong stomach pain, and feel bloated. So, when you’re making dinner rolls or desserts, keep your pet away from the dough until it’s fully baked.
Nutmeg
This common spice, often used in pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, and drinks like Tom and Jerry’s, can be harmful to your pets. Nutmeg has mild hallucinogenic effects and can lead to seizures, tremors, and problems with the nervous system in pets. In severe cases, it can even cause shock or death.
Instead, give your pets plain pumpkin or sweet potatoes, which are safe for them. You can set aside a bit for them before adding other ingredients.
Milk
Pets don’t produce enough lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk. So, milk and dairy products can cause diarrhea or other digestive issues in them, leading to dehydration. Be cautious and limit the dairy your pets consume, especially in foods you share with them.
