Thanksgiving is All About Giving

This is the week we all treasure for its guarantee of football, a large array of desserts, and of course turkey. As we all gather for our holiday festivities, it is also important to think about your pets during these festivities. We all love to include our pets in the holidays and events going on, however is it best?  
Unfortunately, there are increases in pets seen for intestinal upset, pancreatitis, and toxin ingestion. Lets make this Thanksgiving a safe one for everyone, pets included.  

Thanksgiving Safety Tips 

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Foods to Avoid

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  1. Turkey, other Meat, and Bones. 

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Why to Avoid

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As much as dogs love to chew on bones, hard bones can be a choking hazard and could also get stuck in your pet's digestive tract causing an emergency trip to the vet. 
Excessive amounts of meat and fatty scraps can also cause intestinal upset and pancreatitis for your pet because of the amount of fat and your pet not being use to it.  
Small amounts of white meat can be okay. ​

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​ 2. Garlic, Onions, Leeks, and Chives

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These seasonings commonly used for Thanksgiving dishes are actually toxic to dogs and cats. If ingested, these seasonings can destroy red blood cells causing anemia for your pets. Avoid giving your pets table scraps with any of these ingredients ​

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​ 3. Unbaked Dough with Yeast

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As we all know, yeast rises and expands. If your pet were to eat unbaked dough that contained yeast the dough could cause a stomach blockage because the yeast in it would cause the dough to expand. Yeast can also cause alcohol poisoning in your pets stomach due to yeast's fermentation properties. ​

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  4. Yummy Desserts

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A favorite of desserts and Thanksgiving is desserts with chocolate, which is toxic to dogs and cats. Desserts can also contain raisins, currants, and xylitol (a popular sugar substitute) are also toxic to pets even in small amounts. 
Fun fact; the popular keto diets, diabetic-friendly, and sugar-free pie and desserts can also be toxic to pets. 

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 5. Raisins and Grapes

As we all like giving our pets snacks from the table, keep in mind grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs. If your pet has consumed enough of them it can cause acute renal (kidney) failure. 

Other Safety Tips for the Holiday

• If your pet is traveling, have their tags on in case they were to get lost. Micro-chipping your pets is always a great idea
• If you are hosting Thanksgiving, have a safe place your pets can go away from the crowd of people in case of stress. 
• Keep the trash in an area your pet cannot get to it
• Keep plants and decorations in an area where your pets cannot get to them, some plants can be toxic to pets and decorations could cause a blockage in your pet's intestinal system.

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Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving week with these holiday tips. 
If you have an emergency or your pet is not feeling so good after the holiday,  Give us a call at (605) 697-5252 to set up an appointment.