Thanksgiving is a joyous time, especially for our animal companions. The increased foot traffic, new sights, smells and sounds often leave many pets even happier for the festivities than their owners. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is also one of the most dangerous times of the year for pets. Even the most thoughtful pet owner can overlook their animals during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. We’ve compiled a list of Thanksgiving safety tips for your pets during one of the busiest times of the year.
Thanksgiving Safety Tips For Your Pets
1. Keep human food to a minimum.
It’s natural to want to treat your pet while treating yourself, but it’s always best to keep
human food servings restricted to a single bite. Even one bite of the wrong item can cause massive health complications for animals. Ensure any Thanksgiving meat that you share with your dog is fully cooked if you simply can’t resist letting Fido try the turkey. Most meats are fine as long as it’s cooked and boneless; just keep it to a minimum.
2. Avoid sugary human desserts.
Sugary sweets are great human treats but do terrible things to kittens and puppies. Don’t give your pets any of the desserts you prepare during your Thanksgiving Day feast. Sure, some of them might be okay, but the list of things that aren’t safe for your pets is incredibly extensive and would probably shock you. Some of these items can be found on ASPCA’s list of human foods to avoid feeding your pets, including a toxic-to-dogs artificial sweetener found in some desserts. Be safe, not sorry, and just don’t feed your pets any human desserts.
3. Know where your pets are at all times.
Most pet-related holiday accidents happen because no one kept track of their dog or cat during the festivities. As much as we like to think of them as full-fledged family members, our pets are still animals. They don’t naturally know what’s good for them and what’s poisonous. All they know is they smell something delicious that seems pretty edible. Keep an eye on your pet at all times and don’t let him/her near the trash. Also, advise all visitors to your home the rules your dog must follow. Well-meaning visitors may decide to drop your pet a food treat that could make him seriously ill. If your pet does ingest something that you think may be toxic, ASPCA has contact information for their poison control help line here.
Follow these three Thanksgiving safety tips for your pet and you won’t have to rush your dog or cat to the vet on Thanksgiving Day, which I think we can all agree is just one more thing to be thankful for.
At Tailored Pet Services, we do our best to make sure that even the most mischievous of pets don’t eat anything that isn’t appropriate to their diet, and always notify pet parents if we think they have eaten something unusual before or during a visit. We provide dog-walking or overnight services at an additional cost per visit to reward the available staff members who choose to spend part of their Thanksgiving with your furry family. To check our remaining holiday availability, contact us today or view our rates here.
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