Thanksgiving is around the corner, and lots of us are excited for fresh baked turkey stuffed with delicious herb and rosemary stuffing. We love the smell of warm apple pie in the oven as guests come through the door, and we can’t wait to eat fresh-baked, buttery cornbread.
While all of this sounds delicious, it’s not something you want your dog to be eating! All of this human food tastes amazing to us humans, but it can make your four-legged friend very sick. 46.3 million U.S. households have a dog, and this holiday season, they’ll all have to be worrying about keeping their pets away from the wrong food!
It’s very important to think about what foods you can give your dog in order to maintain their pet health, especially in older dogs. After walking your dog or taking them to the dog park, you know just how hungry they can be, and how much they must have a craving for human food!
Having the wrong food left out, or having a guest slip some of the wrong foods to your pup can make them severely ill. Just like walking your dog is something you do daily to keep them healthy, you need to be sure you think about the scraps they can get fed during the holidays.
1. Garlic
Save this delicious ingredient for the seasoning on your turkey, or for the stuffing. If your pooch happens to eat garlic, it can lead to some serious consequences like causing their red blood cells to burst. It can also cause stomach pain and inflammation of the intestines.
2. Alcohol
While guests might want to have a glass (or two, or three) of some champagne or wine, if your pooch gets a hold of it, it can lead to vomiting, difficulty breathing, and coma. Be sure to keep alcohol out of areas where your puppy can reach it, and inform guests to also be on the lookout of where they put down their drinks. You can also keep your puppy in a designated area to ensure it does not get into the wrong kind of liquid to be drinking.
3. Chocolate
Your puppy might be giving you the most adorable little sad eyes during dinner, but remember, you cannot give them any chocolate! It’s for their health. Chocolate can easily send a dog to the hospital. It can cause abnormal heart rhythm, vomiting, excessive painting, and can be very toxic if too much is consumed.
4. Bones
After walking your dog, you might let it gnaw on a big ol’ bone left over from a steak, or maybe give it a treat. However, it’s important to make sure your puppy doesn’t get into pieces of small bones as they can choke on them. While your family members might be fighting over the wishbone, you’ll want to make sure Fido doesn’t find his way to it!
The U.S. spends $20.46 billion on pet food each year, and still, we know how easy it is to throw our dog a scrap from the table. While certain foods are alright, a lot of them will not sit well with your dog. The U.S. spends $13.59 billion on vet care each year, and in order to make sure you do not find yourself having to spend tons of money on pet care this holiday season, just watch what ends up in your puppy’s mouth this Thanksgiving.