Thanksgiving pet safety: foods to keep away from your dog and cat

Foods that can make pets sick

Cooked turkey bones can splinter and cause choking or damage to the stomach and intestines. Turkey skin, gravy, and fatty drippings are rich enough to trigger an upset stomach or pancreatitis, a painful and sometimes serious illness.

Onions, garlic, leeks, and chives are toxic to dogs and cats, even cooked and even in stuffing, gravy, or green bean casserole. Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. Chocolate desserts and anything sweetened with xylitol, a sugar substitute found in some baked goods and gum, are also dangerous.

Raw yeast bread dough can expand in the stomach and produce alcohol as it ferments. Raw eggs in batter can carry salmonella.

Safer ways to include your pet

A few bites of plain, boneless, skinless white-meat turkey or plain cooked green beans or carrots are fine for most healthy dogs. Skip the butter, seasoning, and gravy.

Ask guests not to share food from their plates, and keep trash cans closed or behind a door. The garbage is where many holiday emergencies start.

Keeping pets calm when guests arrive

Give nervous pets a quiet room with water, a bed, and a favorite toy. Watch the front door so no one slips out while guests come and go.

Remind guests to keep their purses and bags off the floor. Pills, gum, and snacks inside are easy for curious pets to reach.

If your pet eats something it shouldn't

Call your veterinarian, the nearest emergency animal hospital, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply). Have the food, the amount, and your pet's weight ready.

Don't try to make your pet vomit unless a veterinarian tells you to.

Traveling for the holiday?

Holiday dates fill up fast. If you'll be away for Thanksgiving or the December holidays, book your pet visits early. Riverside Rover offers drop-in visits, dog walks, and medication help in St. Johns County, Jacksonville, and Nassau County, so your pets can stay home in their own routine.