Thanksgiving Holiday Food Dangers for Your Dog

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For most Americans, the end of November marks a time for family get-togethers and indulging in plenty of food. Many of us would love to share in the Thanksgiving festivities with our four-legged family members but are unsure which foods exactly are safe for our dogs.

source en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TraditionalThanksgiving.jpg

Can I feed my dog turkey?

Yes, your dog can eat turkey meat - just make sure that it’s cooked thoroughly and contains no bones. Bones can choke your dog or get stuck in her digestive tract, which would require surgery. Also, when bones break, they have sharp edges which can also severely damage your dog’s digestive system.

Undercooked turkey is dangerous to dogs for the same reason it’s dangerous to humans - salmonella bacteria and other types of food poisoning.

Can I feed my dog stuffing?

Most likely not. It’s not so much the bread part of the stuffing, but the other ingredients, such as onions and raisins, that your dog can’t handle. It’s best to steer clear to prevent any problems.

Can I feed my dog sweet potatoes?

Yes, your dog can eat sweet potatoes, assuming you aren’t including the usual complement of marshmallows and spices. Marshmallows have way too much sugar and the spices will give your dog a stomach ache.

Can I feed my dog pumpkin pie?

source en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pumpkin-Pie-Whole-Slice.jpg

No - even though pumpkin itself is perfectly healthy for your dog, pumpkin pie simply has too much sugar for a dog to handle. Don’t stress if she was able to sneak a bite of the high-sugar pie - she’ll probably just have a stomach ache accompanies with irregular bowel movements. Keep an eye for vomiting, however.

Other types of pie have simply too much sugar for your dog, too, so keep those cherry pies, apple pies, or sweet potato pies out of reach, too.

What about alcohol or chocolate?

These are definitely out. A dog cannot properly digest alcohol. And simply put, chocolate is poisonous to dogs.