Is Thanksgiving dinner safe for dogs? Parts of it are, but some ingredients could cause your pooch some serious distress.
If you’re like me, when you sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll have at least one pair of sad eyes staring at you. Those eyes will watch every forkful of food you take. If you’re like me, you’ll be tempted to share a little of that feast with your four-legged friend. But how do you know which items on the menu are safe for dogs and which aren’t?
A lot of it is common sense. But there are certain foods that can be very toxic to dogs. They can cause stomach upset and other digestive issues you probably don’t want to deal with.
These foods are dog-safe…in moderation
Nutri-Vet came up with a list of menu items associated with Thanksgiving that dogs can enjoy (in moderation, of course).
The first item on their list is turkey. I’ve never met a dog who wasn’t happy to have a bit of roasted turkey. But make sure you avoid giving your dog turkey skins or fatty pieces. That can cause pancreatitis. (If you’ve ever had a dog go through that, it’s not very pleasant.)
When it comes to vegetables, several are on the approved list. Those include carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green peas, green beans, corn, some types of squash and broccoli. They’re safe provided they don’t have a lot of seasoning or butter. (No loaded mashed potatoes — regular or sweet — for Fido!)
Even rice can be OK for dogs, but too much of it can upset their stomachs, especially if it’s salty. And let’s face it: No one wants bland rice.
When you add salt and other seasonings, you can cause problems. If you use a lot of butter with those veggies, that can cause stomach upset.
It says apples are safe along with pumpkin — as long as it’s not pumpkin pie filling because of its sugar content — and even plain cranberries. That last one surprised me a bit: Raisins can be very toxic to dogs, so I would assume cranberries would be as well. Cranberry sauce, however, with its added sugars, is out.
Keep in mind: When I say apples or pumpkin, I mean the fruit itself. No sugar and certainly no pie!
But there are foods that are definitely not safe for dogs
Chewy compiled a list of foods that are not considered safe for dogs. Among them, turkey bones: They’re especially dangerous because they can splinter in a dog’s digestive track. That could cause impactions and lacerations to the esophagus, stomach, and intestinal tract. In
Stuffing is also a no-no for dogs. That’s not one that would have immediately come to mind. Most stuffing contains celery, but that’s not a problem. The issue with stuffing (or dressing if you prefer) is that it often contains onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, and chives, all of which are toxic to dogs. These ingredients can damage a dog’s red blood cells and cause life-threatening anemia.
Don’t give your dog eggnog or dairy products, experts say. My Collie loves ice cream, but I only give him a little once in a while and then it’s mostly the whip cream topping to a milkshake.
While a little bread might not be an issue, bread dough could cause serious bloating and intestinal blockage.
Gravy contains fat, which can do a number on a dog’s digestive system.
Then there are grapes and raisins, which can cause acute kidney failure that can come on quickly and lead to death. Veterinarian Dr. Douglas Mader told Chewy that some dogs have had fatal reactions to as little as one grape.
Pies are generally off-limits because of the high sugar content. Pecan pie in particular can be dangerous because of a substance called juglone found in pecans themselves. They can be toxic if dogs ingest “large quantities,” but how do you know how large a quantity qualifies?
One of the most surprising things on various “unsafe” lists is ham. You might not assume that ham poses a danger. But it generally contains more fat, is believed to be less-easily digestible and is higher in sodium content. Too much of it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination, lethargy, and abnormal fluid accumulation. Sodium can also cause more serious consequences, such as kidney damage, seizures, coma, and even death.
Enjoy the holiday with your pets
Most of us treat our dogs as members of the family. You’ll want to make sure that if you do share a bit of your Thanksgiving meal with your pooch, you only share dog-safe samples.
No one wants to spend a holiday at the emergency veterinarian’s office, after all!
Those sad eyes begging for food will be a lot sadder looking if they belong to a dog that’s gotten sick from too much human food!
