4 Food to Avoid this Thanksgiving, When it Comes to Pet Safety

Due to the upward trend in COVID-19 cases, many restaurants will not be open for indoor dining this Thanksgiving.  That means small, family gatherings around the dining room table will be the celebration of choice in households across the U.S. this year.

This also means that our pets will have more opportunities to snack on foods that they really shouldn’t.

Not only can some thanksgiving foods be toxic to your pet, table scraps and extra treats can add up quickly. Just a 5 oz serving of dark meat turkey for your small dog can be the caloric equivalent of an entire 8-inch pumpkin pie for you!

In fact, data from Trupanion, a leader in medical insurance for cats & dogs, reveals that pet owners with overweight pets can spend as much as five times more in veterinary expenses than pet owners with average-sized pets.

If you have a puppy, kitten or multi-pet household, here are some food groups to avoid with your pets during the holiday season:

Foods and ingredients that are potentially toxic for dogs and cats this Thanksgiving holiday

• Butter and other fats
• Garlic, Chives, Onions, Scallions
• Raisins, Currents, Grapes
• Candied sweet potatoes or yams

4 foods to watch out for this upcoming holiday seasonas your pet positions themselves under your dining room table

1) Turkey

A small amount of lean, light meat is okay but make sure to keep the skin, fat, and any dark meat far from your furry friend. Most importantly, make sure that your dog does not get a hold of any cooked bones as they can cause choking or be ingested and damage to your pet’s digestive system.

2) Stuffing

Stuffing often contains onions, chives, garlic, and/or scallions. Those ingredients are toxic to pets so make sure to keep your furry friend far away from the stuffing! Plus, with the added butter, stuffing is likely a fatty treat that your pet does not need.

3) Mashed Potatoes

Bland mashed potatoes are okay. But as with stuffing, any mashed potatoes prepared with garlic, onions, scallions, or chives should definitely be kept away from pets as these foods are toxic to dogs and cats.

4) Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie and Pecan Pie! 

It’s best not to purposely feed pie to your four-legged friend. Instead consider one of the many dog-friendly versions that gives your pup a taste of pumpkin pie without all of the sugary sweetness.

For more information on pet safety check out https://trupanion.com/ec/ppc/best-care-b