PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pizza, chicken wings and beer are tasty staples for a Super Bowl party, but as good as they are to humans, those foods could be harmful to our pets. Your cat or dog could accidentally help themselves to food intended for your guests.
Dr. Erica Reineke, with University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, says with all the excitement going on at the party, keeping an eye on your pet may not be the easiest thing to do.
“Onions or food products that contain onions, if dogs or cats ingest too many of them, that can be toxic to them,” she explained, “and I guess the one thing that is common with the Super Bowl parties is chicken wings. Sometimes the dog or the pet could get some gastrointestinal upset, so they may have some vomiting or diarrhea that hopefully resolves on its own.”
It’s the bones, Reineke says, that are the big problem. “They could be a choking hazard. Sometimes we do see bones that get stuck in the esophagus,” she said.
She adds chocolate, grapes and raisins can also negatively affect your pet’s kidneys.
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Reineke advises party hosts to remind guests not to feed your animals. “Guests in the house don’t always know what is best for our pets so it could be challenging when you have these big parties,” she said.
If possible, she suggests keeping them in a separate room during the party.
According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, the top reported exposures on Super Bowl Sunday are alcohol, garlic and onion, cannabis, rich foods, and human medications.