Thanksgiving is upon us, and as much as you may be looking forward to your favorite treats from family. Your pets might be looking just as forward to the holiday as it typically means extra table scraps. Allison Wegmann, a Veterinarian with Metairie Small Animal Hospital, warns that this can be a particularly dangerous time for small pets.
“For the holidays, there are often times delicious and fatty foods on the menu. What you need to be wary of is that any change in diet, particularly to table foods high in fatty content, can disrupt a dog or cat’s gastro-intestinal system,” Wegmann points out. This can lead to an unpleasant situation if your pet has an upset stomach while visitors are around.
Choking is another hazard you’ll want to keep an eye out for when table scraps are around pets. Even if you don’t pass along bits and pieces of your Thanksgiving dinner to the family dog, that doesn’t mean someone else isn’t doing so on the sly. Wegmann notes that it’s important to keep an eye peeled, especially when small children are around, for what others may be passing along to small animals. “Sometimes with large family gatherings, there are a lot of small children around that like to feed pets from the table,” Wegmann says. “This can be particularly dangerous, so just stay aware of that.”
Along with all the extra food and the safety concerns that may come from what is fed to your pet, stress can be another factor that could lead to gastrointestinal issues for your dog or cat. “Sometimes even the presence of a lot of people that the dog isn’t used to can create stress in their systems. That alone can give them diarrhea, so if you’re going to also include table scraps in that, I would keep it in moderation if you’re going to give them any at all,” notes Wegmann.
It can be tough to turn away those puppy dog eyes looking up at you from under the table. Wegmann understands the urge to share with your furry friends. “I realize everyone likes to include their pets in the Thanksgiving holiday, and I include myself in that number,” the veterinarian points out. “That said, everyone should keep a watchful eye out to make sure they’re not eating bones they shouldn’t be eating as choking can be a major hazard for animals around the holidays,” Wegmann adds.
Another thing to watch out for when it comes to pet safety is your own trash cans. As friends and family toss food scraps into the trash, those bins can be easily accessible to animals. If people aren’t taking inventory of what goes into the trash, choking hazards and other dangers may be present if your pooch goes sniffing through table scraps. “Keep an extra eye out on the trash can for the next COUPLE of days, I would say. People tend to eat leftovers, so that danger can remain for a bit,” Wegmann cautions.
Ultimately, she urges those with pets to be mindful about what they share, and try to minimize the types of foods you give your pet that aren’t part of its normal diet. As any change at all can upset their dietary systems, a sudden shock of multiple new foods can be a lot for them to deal with. Wegmann says the best defense is to monitor your pet during and after the holidays to make sure they aren’t eating something that’s a known danger. She adds that it’s also crucial to look out for behavioral or dietary changes in the days afterward, as those could be symptoms of a greater issue.
After all is said and done, our animal friends need to follow the same guidelines as we do: everything in moderation (even during this gluttonous holiday)