Keeping Pets Safe During Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is for family, and for many, their pets are certainly part of the family.

But holidays can be stressful times for dogs and cats, so the American Veterinary Medical Association has a few tips to make your holiday safe for your pets, especially when it comes to the holiday feast.

Just as with other holidays, such as Halloween, people coming and going from your house can pose a problem with pets slipping out the door without being noticed.

The AVMA said that visitors can upset pets with higher-than-usual noise and activity. So if your dog or cat is one of the more nervous ones around a lot of people, you shouldn’t be afraid to put them in another room or a crate with a favorite toy.

As far as the Thanksgiving feast is concerned, overeating is unhealthy for humans but the consequences for pets can be even worse.

Fatty foods are hard for animals to digest and poultry bones can damage a pet’s digestive tract.

And holiday sweets can contain ingredients poisonous to pets, the AVMA said.

Here are some more tips from the American Veterinary Medical Association to keep your pet safe during Thanksgiving:

• Keep the feast on the table — not under it. Eating turkey or turkey skin — sometimes even a small amount — can cause a life-threatening condition in pets known as pancreatitis. Fatty foods are hard for animals to digest, and many foods that are healthy for people are poisonous to pets — including onions, raisins and grapes. If you want to share a Thanksgiving treat with your pet, make or buy a treat that is made just for them.
• No pie or other desserts for your pooch. Chocolate can be harmful for pets, even though many dogs find it tempting and will sniff it out and eat it. The artificial sweetener called xylitol — commonly used in gum and sugar-free baked goods — also can be deadly if consumed by dogs or cats.
• Yeast dough can cause problems for pets, including painful gas and potentially dangerous bloating.
• Put the trash away where your pets can’t find it. A turkey carcass sitting out on the carving table, or left in a trash container that is open or easily opened, could be deadly to your family pet. Dispose of turkey carcasses and bones — and anything used to wrap or tie the meat, such as strings, bags and packaging — in a covered, tightly secured trash bag placed in a closed trash container outdoors (or behind a closed, locked door).
• Be careful with decorative plants. Don’t forget that some flowers and festive plants can be toxic to pets. These include amaryllis, Baby’s Breath, Sweet William, some ferns, hydrangeas and more. The ASPCA offers lists of plants that are toxic to both dogs and cats, but the safest route is simply to keep your pets away from all plants and table decorations.
• Quick action can save lives. If you believe your pet has been poisoned or eaten something it shouldn’t have, call your veterinarian or local veterinary emergency clinic immediately. You may also want to call the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline: 888-426-4435. Signs of pet distress include: sudden changes in behavior, depression, pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

Patch file photo.