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Spending time with our loved ones over Thanksgiving and Christmas is a time for joy and celebration. But it can also be a time when our pets are exposed to food that could make them sick…or worse. Here are a few tips to help make sure your pets enjoy a safe holiday season.
- Rich or Fatty Foods: The holidays seem to bring out the gourmet cook in all of us. We have ham, turkey and lots of other foods trimmed with stuffing, glazes, and sauces. While we humans love this stuff, it’s a pretty safe bet your pet’s stomach will not. Don’t be afraid to be firm in letting your loved ones know that your pet is NOT to be fed from the table.
- Empty the Trash: Food wrappers, fat trimmings and bones typically go right in the trash. Because pets (especially dogs) can be sneaky scavengers, empty the trash as soon as those items are discarded. Ingesting any of these items can cause serious repercussions. Especially wrappers and bones. So…empty the trash!
- Hide the Sweets: Chocolate, artificially sweetened candy and raisins are all potentially toxic to your pets. No matter how insistent your pet might be, the answer to their begging must be NO!! And, as we mentioned above, dogs can be sneaky scavengers. Keep an eye out for dropped candy and food. Also be aware of candy dishes that may be at dog eye level. This also goes for cats. While cats may not be quite as persistent as dogs when it comes to sneaking human food, we all know they are also quite capable of scavenging for stuff they shouldn’t have.
While these tips don’t cover everything, they should be enough to ensure your pet’s food related safety over the holidays. We’ve included the links to a few excellent articles below. Please take a few minutes to read them for even more information to help both you and your pets have an enjoyable holiday season.
Sources
https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/nutrition-feeding/holiday-foods-to-avoid-feeding-your-dog
https://www.myhappypets.com/behavior/article/holiday-pet-safety-tips
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