Best and worst festive foods for pets for the holidays
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please contact a medical professional.
It’s natural to be excited about sharing food with your pet while on vacation. After all, giving your pet a few table scraps after a fancy feast isn’t all that harmful.
In fact, many festive foods can harm your pet’s health. Feeding your pet certain foods can put you at risk for serious illnesses that could otherwise be avoided. Before sharing holiday food with your pet, check which foods are pet safe and which are not.
The worst holiday food to share with pets
It might be a holiday tradition to shower your pet with gifts and delicious treats. But to keep this festive season safe and healthy for your furry friends, it’s best to avoid the following foods.
chicken or turkey bones
If you’re cooking a beautiful turkey or whole chicken for a feast, keep poultry bones away from your pets.
Poultry bones can easily break during cooking. We know that humans usually eat around bones, but pets don’t. If your pet accidentally swallows a crack or piece, the bone may puncture the inside.
Other potential risks of feeding poultry bones to dogs include suffocation, gastrointestinal obstruction, and vomiting. Do not share cooked bones. Clear the table so your overzealous pet doesn’t grab a bone.
turkey skin
Moderate turkey meat is fine, but don’t serve turkey skin as it’s high in fat. This causes some pets to experience pancreatitis symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and fever.
chocolate and tea
You probably know that your pet shouldn’t eat chocolate because chocolate contains caffeine. However, these are not the only food ingredients to avoid.
Both chocolate and tea contain theobromine, a natural substance that has similar effects to caffeine and is equally toxic to cats and dogs. Theobromine and caffeine stimulate the heart and dilate blood vessels. Pets are more sensitive to the effects because they cannot metabolize as efficiently as humans.
If your pet has ingested anything containing caffeine or theobromine, consult your veterinarian as soon as possible.
alcohol
You might think a few licks of sweet eggnog won’t hurt, but the safety issue with pets and alcohol is how much they drink. Temperature, hypotension, weakness, vomiting, etc.
Remember, alcohol isn’t just limited to drinks. Many festive pastries may contain alcohol, and raw dough containing yeast also contains alcohol.
certain vegetables and fruits
Onions and garlic are great seasonings for holiday meals, but they are not suitable for pets. Both vegetables, whether raw, cooked, or powdered, can cause anemia, a deficiency of red blood cells.
You’ll also want to keep your pets away from avocados.This fruit contains persin, which can cause diarrhea and even damage your pet’s heart.
most nuts
Not all nuts are dangerous for pets. However, many nuts such as almonds, pecans, and walnuts contain fats that can cause vomiting and diarrhea. The fat contained in can also cause pancreatitis.
Additionally, macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs. Ingestion may cause weakness, depression, vomiting, or tremors.
Holiday food you can eat with your pet
Not all holiday foods are dangerous to your cozy companions! Enjoy delicious treats with your pet.
turkey breast
You can share a fully cooked, boneless turkey breast with your pet, although turkey skin should be avoided. Of course, make sure there are no seasonings or fillings, as they may contain onions, garlic, and fat.
Turkey meat itself also contains fat. Give small amounts of white meat, which has less fat than black meat.
carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans
There are vegetables that are safe and healthy for pets, such as cauliflower, carrots, celery, green beans, and sweet potatoes.
Make sure the vegetables aren’t covered in gravy, butter, or anything fatty.
freshly baked bread
Freshly baked bread is an excellent low-calorie filler for your dog. Make sure there are no uncooked pieces in the pan. Raw and uncooked foods can contain bacteria and parasites, which are usually killed during the cooking process.
white potatoes
You can also give your pets cooked white potatoes along with sweet potatoes. Raw potatoes contain solanine, which is toxic to dogs and causes vomiting and diarrhea. Cooked potatoes have less solanine than raw potatoes. However, serving cooked potatoes in moderation is wise to avoid solanine poisoning.
canned pumpkin
There are many health benefits of pumpkin. Pumpkin is rich in nutrients such as vitamin A, iron and folic acid. High in fiber and soothing your stomach, this low-calorie treat can also help you lose weight if you replace it with part of your kibble. Pumpkin seeds, both raw and cooked, are great for adding variety to your snacks. For example, pumpkin seeds contain many antioxidants that are beneficial for cardiovascular health.
But how you prepare your pumpkin dish can make a big difference to your pet’s safety. Avoid sweet pumpkin pie mixes that are high in sugar and spices. Also, be sure to give the correct amount of pumpkin or pumpkin seeds based on your pet’s weight. .
Apple
If your pet likes naturally sweet foods, you may want to add apples to their diet. Apples contain antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, and water. and help your pet’s health. First, remove the stem, core and all seeds from the apple to prepare it safely for your pet. Next, peel the fruit, cut it into small chunks, and serve it to your pet!
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