Use Care with Holiday Treats for Pets

When a client asks what dangers lurk for pets on Thanksgiving, my first thought is turkey strings. Beware the ties that bind!

My colleagues and I have removed countless turkey strings lodged in the intestines of dogs and cats.  The strings that bind a turkey while roasting become soaked in fats and turkey juices, and are irresistible to a pet.  When placed in a trashcan on ground level, that’s an invitation to disaster.

When you remove the string from your roasted bird, put it inside a plastic bag and in the freezer.  Throughout the day, immediately place discarded skin and bones into that plastic bag, and store it in the freezer until trash day.

Other dangers that lurk on Thanksgiving Day include the irresistible urge of the humans in the house to share the culinary bounty with beloved four-footed family members. 

While I, too, share with my pets!  In my humble opinion, sharing is part of our relationship.  So my choice is to share. This does not mean, however, that one can disregard common sense and safety on Thanksgiving Day.  Unless you want to risk spending next weekend in the veterinary emergency clinic, consider these points:

•  The meat from one turkey leg is the equivalent of perhaps five legs for your 30-pound dog.

• Dark meat contains more fat than white meat.

• Gravy is full of fat, and the dog and cat digestive tract is not compatible with high fat content.

• The skin of all fowl and the trimmings from ham are far too fatty for our pets.

• NO BONES!

• Vegetables, in small quantities and without butter, might be appropriate, but only if your pet has successfully handled them in the past.  We often recommend a few cooked green beans in our weight loss programs.  Again, no fats or heavy spices.

• No desserts, no sugar.

Remember, also, there will be a lot of food on your counters and tabletops.  Cats and larger dogs can counter-surf as soon as your back is turned.  Consider confining them in a room, or placing a gate across the kitchen entrance.  This also prevents accidents from trips, a falls, or tumbling pans of hot food. 

For those of you in horror that I even suggest sharing human food with a pet, I respect your opinion.  Sharing human food often encourages offensive begging.

To avoid this, those who do feed tidbits might place them directly into the pet’s food bowl. 

Regarding portions, here is my rule of thumb:  A treat for a large dog is the size of my thumbnail.  A treat for a toy poodle is the size of my little fingernail.  One treat at a time is special.  Two treats at a time allows for the expectation of a third.  And three treats at a time constitute a small meal. 

Remember if you treat your pet, subtract that quantity from the next meal.  Overfeeding is dangerous.  Most of our dogs and cats are on a more regular eating schedule than we humans, and a change in that routine can be disruptive to our pets’ digestive tracts. This can be uncomfortable or painful for your pet, and the aftermath can be downright unpleasant for you. 

Let's keep Thanksgiving happy for all.