Keeping Your Pet Food Safe During the Holidays
Keeping Your Pet Food Safe During the Holidays
By D.S. Mitchell
The holidays are coming at us fast. Time for fabulous holiday food like mashed potatoes and gravy, casseroles, turkey, cranberry sauce, and loads of pies and cakes and all manner of sugary treats. Yeah! It’s important to remember that some of your favorite holiday treats may be dangerous if your pet ingests any of them. While overeating may be unhealthy for humans it can prove deadly for a pet. Certain table scraps should never be passed on to your pet. As an example poultry bones can damage a pet’s digestive tract. Fatty foods are difficult to digest and may lead to vomiting and diarrhea. Furthermore, many holiday sweets contain chocolate and other ingredients that are poisonous to pets.
The American Kennel Club, Safe Food List
- Sweet potatoes and potatoes (without added ingredients like butter, brown sugar or marshmallows)
- Apples
- Turkey meat (without bones or skin)
- Green beans
- Plain peas
- Pumpkin and pure pumpkin puree (without spiced or sugary pie mix)
The American Kennel Club, Unsafe Food List
- Turkey bones, skin and gravy
- Stuffing
- Casseroles
- Mashed potatoes
- Creamed peas
- Chocolate, cookies, pies, and sweets
- Alcoholic beverages
- Raisins and grapes
- Onions, scallions, and garlic
- Ham
- Yeast dough
- Fatty foods
- Foods containing spices
Keep an eye on the garbage
Even aside from the foods on the table, experts recommend careful disposal of the leftovers. An open container or a turkey carcass left out sitting on the table could be deadly for your pet. The American Veterinary Association advises, “Dispose of turkey carcasses, bones, and scraps—and anything used to wrap or tie the meat, such as strings, bags, and packaging—in a covered, tightly secured trash bag placed in a closed trash container outdoors.”
Call the Vet
If you believe your fur-baby has eaten something that could be unsafe you should immediately call your vet, or a veterinary emergency clinic. You also can call the ASPCA Poison Control Center @ 888-426-4435. Happy and safe holiday snacking.
