Thanksgiving Safety Tips  

‘Tis the season for friends, family and holiday feasts—but also for possible distress for our animal companions. Pets won’t be so thankful if they munch on undercooked turkey or a pet-unfriendly floral arrangement, or if they stumble upon an unattended alcoholic drink.

Check out the following tips from ASPCA experts for a fulfilling Thanksgiving that your pets can enjoy, too.

Talkin’ Turkey
If you decide to feed your pet a little nibble of turkey, make sure it’s boneless and well-cooked. Don't offer her raw or undercooked turkey, which may contain salmonella bacteria.

Sage Advice
Sage can make your Thanksgiving stuffing taste delish, but it and many other herbs contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal upset and central nervous system depression to pets if eaten in large quantities. Cats are especially sensitive to the effects of certain essential oils.

No Bread Dough
Don't spoil your pet’s holiday by giving him raw bread dough. According to ASPCA experts, when raw bread dough is ingested, an animal's body heat causes the dough to rise in his stomach. As it expands, the pet may experience vomiting, severe abdominal pain and bloating, which could become a life-threatening emergency, requiring surgery.

Don't Let Them Eat Cake
If you’re baking up Thanksgiving cakes, be sure your pets keep their noses out of the batter, especially if it includes raw eggs—they could contain salmonella bacteria that may lead to food poisoning.

Too Much of a Good Thing
A few small boneless pieces of cooked turkey, a taste of mashed potato or even a lick of pumpkin pie shouldn’t pose a problem. However, don't allow your pets to overindulge, as they could wind up with a case of stomach upset, diarrhea or even worse—an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. In fact, it’s best keep pets on their regular diets during the holidays.

A Feast Fit for a Kong
While the humans are chowing down, give your cat and dog their own little feast. Offer them Nylabones or made-for-pet chew bones. Or stuff their usual dinner—perhaps with a few added tidbits of turkey, vegetables (try sweet potato or green beans) and dribbles of gravy—inside a Kong toy. They’ll be happily occupied for awhile, working hard to extract their dinner from the toy.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/thanksgiving-safety-tips.aspx 

Stuff the Turkey, Not the Dog

We all know how hard it can be to resist those begging eyes and that furry face you can deny nothing on any given day, and on Thanksgiving - with the fragrant smell of that really rich dinner swimming throughout the house - the temptation can be that much worse. But this year, do your dog a favor and keep her away from the items listed below. Pookie Dearest might be miffed for the evening, but her stomach will thank you the next day.

1. Turkey Skin - On its own, turkey skin can be fatty and hard to digest, but on Thanksgiving it's particularly bad (just think of the butter, oils and spices rubbed into it). If you must share the turkey with your dog, do peel the skin off and cut the meat up into bite-sized pieces. And consider choosing the white meat over the dark for your pooch - it's a little blander and easier to digest.

2. Cooked Bones - Whether your bird is duck, goose or turkey, do not give the bones to your dog. Any dog cartoon features Fido carrying a bone around in his mouth, but the reality is that a cooked bone is often brittle and sharp pieces can get lodged in your pet's intestine. And bird bones are hollow and break easily.

3. Gravy/Buttery Side Dishes - This one goes hand-in-hand with the turkey skin. Fatty foods and trimmings can cause pancreatitis in dogs at worst and diarrhea or vomiting at "best." ThePoop.com suggests substituting gravy with a little turkey broth if you really want to give your pup a treat.

4. Aluminum Foil and Plastic Wrap - Dispose of these when you're done with them. There are two risks here: one, your pet will be licking the fatty substances off the wrappings, and two, swallowing these can cause an intestinal obstruction.

5. Chocolate - Not that we think that you would intentionally feed your dog chocolate (which we all know can be toxic to our canine friends), but since candy is often left out on tables for guests during the holidays, it made the list. Be sure to keep bowls filled with chocolate out of reach.

6. The Garbage Pail - A frustrated pet who can't get a scrap out of his usually-generous parents may be tempted to dig around the trash bin and find a good number of the items listed above.

7. The Kitchen - Thanksgiving can be the busiest day of the year for the kitchen, and you'll want to keep your pup out of there. With hot dishes being whisked from one counter to the next, there's a chance a dog that's under foot could be burned or cut if something were to shatter.

8. Holiday Plants - Sure it's Thanksgiving, but a good number of people have already decked the halls with holly by this time. Know that Poinsettias, holly berries, mistletoe and Cedar Christmas trees are toxic to dogs.

9. Decorations - Glass ornaments and candles are just begging for trouble. Like the chocolate, keep these out of reach.

10. Guests Who Mean Well - Educate your less pet-savvy visitors (and hey, maybe even send them this list). A child may accidentally feed a dog some chocolate and your great aunt might think she's being nice by sharing her turkey skin.

http://www.dogster.com/the-scoop/stuff-the-turkey-not-the-dog-10-things-to-hide-from-your-pet-this-thanksgiving

Keeping Thanksgiving Happy: 10 Pet Safety Tips

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful and meaningful holiday. Families and friends excitedly gather to show their gratitude for all they are so fortunate to have. Ovens are working overtime and delicious holiday aromas fill the air.

During this happy time of family, food and giving, people tend to become overly generous with their pets. This means that dogs and cats will get a lot of table food scraps. Sometimes, however, too many treats can lead to injury or illness for our pets.

North Shore Animal League America would like to offer some important tips to help keep your pets safe this holiday – and to keep the “Happy” in Thanksgiving!

1. Fatty Foods: Too many fatty, rich, or unfamiliar foods can give your pet pancreatitis or gastroenteritis; two medical conditions that can be very painful and even life-threatening.

2. Diet and Exercise: Maintain your pet's regular meal and exercise schedule and avoid too many holiday leftovers. A disruption in his dietary routine can cause stomach upset, diarrhea and/or vomiting.

3. Bones: Make no bones about it. Certain bones can lacerate or obstruct your pets' insides. Save the bones for the broth - not your dog.

4. Onions: Onions and onion powder, widely found in stuffing and used as a general seasoning, will destroy your dog or cat's red blood cells, which can lead to anemia.

5. Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins contain a toxin that can cause kidney damage to both dogs and cats.

6. Chocolate: Chocolate can actually be fatal to your dog or cat; so all those sweets must be kept well out of reach.

7. Food Wrappings: Aluminum foil, wax paper and other food wrappings can cause intestinal obstruction. Make sure to place these items securely in the garbage.

8. Fresh Water: Make sure your pet always has fresh water. When there are more people in the house, there's more chance to bump into the water bowl leaving your pet dry.

9. Quiet Time: Make sure your pet has a quiet retreat should the holiday festivities be too much for him. Watch his behavior to make sure he is not stressed.

10. Garbage: Keep an eye on the garbage and keep it securely fastened! If your dog gets into it, he may think he's hit the jackpot, but all he'll be winning is health problems from something as simple as gastric disturbance, vomiting and diarrhea to the worst-case scenario - death.

http://www.animalleague.org/expert-advice/health/articles/seasonal/thanksgiving-tips.html