Avoid Thanksgiving Foods for Pets

Thanksgiving has arrived! It’s that time of the year where family, friends, and pets alike gather to catch up and spend quality time together. Of course, this also includes enjoying delicious foods and drinks. This abundance of tasty goods is for everyone – except your pet, of course. Many popular dishes people love isn’t healthy for your pets to have, so our vet in Boxborough wants to go over the harmful foods so everyone knows what to avoid. And don’t forget to spread the word to guests during your holiday meals!

 

Stuffing

The ingredients that are in almost every stuffing dish are onions and garlic, both which are extremely toxic to both dogs and cats. This ingredient can cause a life-threatening anemia, which is the destruction of red blood cells. The starch of stuffing is also dangerous to give them due to the difficulty they’ll have processing and digesting the food, especially if they’re not used to it in their daily diet.

 

Ham

We’re all familiar with the age old “Bacon!” commercial related to dog treats but keep it to the treats! Ham and other pork products can cause upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, and even pancreatitis. Pork is also high in fat, which can quickly cause obesity in pets. Pork products have a high number of calories and sodium, throwing your pet’s diet balance off.

 

Meat Bones

The common stereotype of dogs is that they absolutely adore bones! While there are pet-appropriate treats made to look like bones, the versions from poultry, swine, or beef can be quite dangerous to your furry friend. Because poultry bones are quite small, they could splinter and damage the insides of your pet’s stomach and intestines – it could even be a puncture!

 

We understand how tempting it is to create a small, pet-sized version of your Thanksgiving meal for your pet, but don’t give in! Their health is better off without the overwhelming number of calories, sodium, and sugar that they can’t properly process. If you’re looking for dietary tips, don’t hesitate to call our vet in Boxborough at 978-263-3412 today!