Show your pets you’re thankful for them by keeping them safe this Thanksgiving. Now, we get it, sometimes it’s pretty hard to say “no” to those cute furry faces while they are begging for Thanksgiving scraps this season. However, many of the holiday treats and traditions we know and enjoy are harmful to pets. Make sure the holidays are a happy time for the entire family by taking a few steps to protect your pet from harm and keep them healthy going in to this season.
- Don’t leave wine glasses where your pets can reach them. When pets ingest alcohol, they often experience severe drops in body temperature, blood pressure and blood sugar, which can all lead to death if treatment is delayed.
- Most of us already know chocolate is dangerous for pets, but especially baking chocolate. Baking chocolate has even higher concentrations of caffeine and theobromine, the two substances found in chocolate that are extremely toxic to pets. If you’re baking with chocolate this holiday season, just be mindful to keep it out of reach of curious noses.
- Thanksgiving time means turkey. Turkey is high in fat so because of this, even small amounts can trigger pancreatitis. Pancreatitis has potentially fatal side effects like dehydration and liver and kidney damage. You also need to be mindful of the small turkey bones that can get lodged in your pet’s gastrointestinal system and cause blockages, which typically require surgery to repair.
- If you are going out of town, arrange for a loved one to check in on your four-legged friend to ensure they have everything they need and haven’t gotten into trouble.
- Fall scents?! Yes! We love all the “harvest”-scented candles that make your home feel so comforting this time of year. While candles burning are one of the best parts of fall tradition, they can also peak your pets’ curiosity, so be sure to keep an eye on them when in use.
As thankful as we all are for our beloved four legged friends, keeping them safe and healthy is a full-time job. Pets don’t come with instruction manuals. So, when it comes to those big family dinners this season, we recommend that instead of letting your pet eat table scraps, or feeding them human food as treats, you stick to food products created by pet food manufacturers specifically for your type of pet!
