As the November festivities approach, thoughts of thanksgiving Thursday comes with it. It’s no secret that people, even those on strict diets, decide to indulge a bit and let loose during the thanksgiving dinner. Pet owners also allow their pets to have some dietary freedom, which makes them search for safe thanksgiving foods for dogs.
Dogs are often the victims of accidental poisoning during thanksgiving since they tend to help themselves when they roam about the house. It is best to feed safe foods for dogs during thanksgiving to ensure that your pup will be alright. If not, keep them from the meal during and after preparation and provide them with the best dog foods on the market in the holiday spirit. Suppose you’ve ever asked yourself, “what is the best food to feed my dog?” especially during thanksgiving. Then, could you stick with me, let’s see?
Can dogs eat turkey? Can dogs eat cranberries? These questions have probably gone through your mind at least every time you eat any of them, right? How do you enjoy such a delectable taste and not share it with your dog?
Some of the flavors we add to make the thanksgiving meal awesome are unsafe for your dog. And, if you have to make an emergency trip to the vet during the holidays, you may need to pay extra (up to double the regular price). So, to save you the additional cost and your dog from unnecessary pain, here is a list of some thanksgiving classics you can give you dog.
Turkey
Dogs are naturally carnivores, and most of their food contains meat like turkey. But, can dogs eat turkey breast from your Thanksgiving dinner? Unfortunately, because you prepare thanksgiving turkey (which has a fatty skin) with butter and oil, the additional oil could be bad for your dog. In dogs, excess oil fat can cause gastrointestinal upset or pancreatitis. Don’t lose hope. If your dog doesn’t have allergies, you can share unseasoned, skinless, and boneless turkey breasts.
Also, you will do well to dispose of the yarn string that wraps the turkey properly so that your dog doesn’t eat it. Dog breeds like Miniature Schnauzers, Yorkshire Terriers, and Shetland Sheepdogs have a higher likelihood of getting pancreatitis. So, for their safety, they should avoid thanksgiving meat snacks altogether.
Potatoes
Potatoes are another thanksgiving classic. Both variations of potatoes are safe for your dog to enjoy with you during thanksgiving. Further, sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin B6, beta carotene, and vitamin C.
When you give your dog sweet potatoes, try to avoid additional sweets or canned potatoes mix. With regular (Irish) potatoes, you can give it to them boiled or baked without butter, pepper, salt, or sour cream. Also, you should share your potatoes with them moderately to avoid complications.
Pumpkin
Another safe food for dogs during thanksgiving is pumpkin. Dogs can enjoy pumpkin, and its fiber content could help them poop with ease. Pumpkin is also great for your dog’s coat and skin. Therefore, when giving your dog pumpkin, the rule is to avoid spices or excess. Remember that too much pumpkin could lead to frequent stool escapades.
Corn
Corn is another food your dog can freely enjoy during thanksgiving. You can also add corn to your dog’s regular diet. However, it does not need to exceed 10% of their diet, and they could be allergic to it. The cob of the corn is not safe for your dog to eat. Even a little part of it could cause gastrointestinal obstructions and quickly become a medical emergency.
Bread
If you are wondering what other thanksgiving foods I can give to my dog, it is bread. That is why you can give your dog a small piece of adequately baked bread. Also, a point to note is to keep unbaked dough (especially dough that contains yeast) far away from your dog.
If your dog takes unbaked dough, the yeast can react with sugar and form ethanol and carbon dioxide in the dog’s stomach. In the end, this could result in alcohol poisoning, bloating, or hypoglycemia. From the “what can dogs eat during thanksgiving” list, giving dogs thanksgiving meals should be with caution. However, some meals that you have to avoid altogether to prevent emergencies are:
- Stuffing – It contains garlic, scallions, and onions that are toxic to dogs because they cause anemia
- Turkey bones – This thanksgiving food can cause indigestion, vomiting, bowel obstruction, and possible abdominal infection in dogs
- Chocolate – Dogs may love the smell and taste of chocolate, but it is toxic for them (especially darker variants)
- Salads – Salads that contain raisins or grapes – Dog’s can get fatal grape and raisin toxicity that causes kidney failure
- Mashed Potatoes – Pets can eat potatoes, but mashed ones have butter and milk that can cause diarrhea. Others could have onions or garlic powder
- Pumpkin Pie – Although your pups can have pumpkin, a pumpkin pie may contain xylitol, which could potentially be a deadly toxin for your canine
- Ham – Ham contains sodium and fats that make it okay for pets to eat. But, pork and pork-related products contribute large amounts of calories even when taking in small quantities. They also put the dog (and even cats) at high risk for stomach upset, obesity, vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis
If you are having guests over, you may need to advise them not to slip the dog some food from their plate. However, to be on the safer side, it is best to keep your pup away from the Thanksgiving dinner table. Intake of substances that are not recommended could potentially cause mild to deadly emergencies. And emergent trips during the holidays are incredibly costly. Some potential damage from any of these meals could be pancreatitis, kidney damage, diarrhea, gastrointestinal obstructions, cytotoxicity, anemia, obesity, abdominal infection, and injuries to the intestines and stomach.
We have shared a list of safe foods for dogs during thanksgiving and meals to avoid, but you may have other questions. So, here are some frequently asked questions about what foods dogs can have during the thanksgiving weekend that you may relate with.
Dogs can enjoy some thanksgiving meals without spices or harmful flavors. With some illusions, according to American Kennel Club, thanksgiving meals you can share with your dog are unseasoned, skinless, and boneless turkey, sweet potatoes, potatoes, plain green beans, peas, carrots, corn, bread, apple, and pumpkin.
Some of the foods you should avoid during thanksgiving are meals with xylitol, excess carbs, scallions, bones, grapes, raisins, chocolates, onions, garlic, seasoning, fats, and lactose. Examples of such meals would be the skin or bone of the thanksgiving turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, dark chocolates, grape or raising salads, and cake.
Most dogs are lactose intolerant, but cheese has less lactose than milk. So, they can enjoy minimal or moderate cheese servings during thanksgiving. Moreover, cheese has calcium, proteins, vitamin B-complex, essential fatty acids, and vitamin A. You can opt to give your dog low-fat cheese like soft goat cheese, cottage cheese, or mozzarella since they have lower sodium and fat content.
Your dog can have carrots during and after thanksgiving. Carrot is a healthy snack that is low in calories and rich in B-carotene, vitamin A, fiber, and potassium. However, when serving your pooch carrots, it is safe to cut it to reduce the chunk size and avoid potential choking hazards. Additionally, carrots are great for your dog’s teeth and coat health.
Thinking about safe foods for dogs during Thanksgiving can quickly become a tedious affair since dogs are not human beings. The safest route to follow with your precious canine is to make a separate safe dish for them from the raw materials of thanksgiving to keep them in the mood of festivity. When you have visitors over, try to keep your dog away from them, so they do not feed them food that could lead to an emergency room trip.