With Thanksgiving just around the corner, pet owners are likely wondering how to keep their furry friends safe and happy during the festivities. While it’s certainly important to be mindful of household dangers like accidental poisoning or overeating, there are plenty of ways to ensure that your pet enjoys the Thanksgiving feast as much as you do! Here are a few tips for creating a pet-safe Thanksgiving menu.

• Turkey — Many pets have their eyes on the prize: a turkey drumstick. But the tasty turkey leg can cause the most problems, from the skin to the bones. The higher fat content in dark meat and the fatty, seasoned skin can cause stomach upset and possibly pancreatitis in your pet. And the bones can splinter when crunched, piercing the gastrointestinal tract, or forming a blockage that requires emergency surgery. Instead of giving your pet a turkey leg to gnaw on, offer a few morsels of skinless, boneless, unseasoned turkey breast. 
• Mashed sweet potatoes — Mashed potatoes loaded with butter, chives, garlic, and sour cream can lead to serious health issues. Topping buttery mashed potatoes with gravy can trigger a case of pancreatitis. At the same time, ingredients from the Allium family—chives, garlic, leeks, and onions—can cause red blood cell destruction and anemia. Swap out rich mashed potatoes for plain, mashed sweet potatoes, which are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 
• Biscuits — Unbaked yeast dough left out to rise can cause stomach bloating, gastrointestinal obstruction, and alcohol poisoning, all of which can require emergency treatment, so give your pet a cooked biscuit treat to enjoy instead.
• Fruit — Many sweet treats contain ingredients that are toxic to pets, such as raisins, currants, chocolate, or xylitol. Offer your pet small bites of safe, fresh fruits, like apples, bananas, and berries, for a sweet snack instead.

Thanksgiving is a time to spend with family and friends, not in an emergency veterinary hospital. However, if your furry pal runs into trouble—or runs off with the turkey—contact our team for help.