Holiday Foods Safe and Unsafe For Pets
With the Holidays fast approaching, the amount of time spent in the kitchen increases! More homemade family dinners, snacks, appetizers and desserts. Guests are arriving in our homes with tokens of celebration and trays of goodies! Remember that many foods we want to share with our furry companions aren't as good for them, as they are for us. As much as they may beg with those big puppy eyes, here are some foods that ARE and are NOT safe for our pets.
Food DONTS:
Garlic and onions: Can cause GI upset and extreme irritation. Highly toxic to our pets.
Stuffing: usually containing both garlic and onion and other seasonings. It is also a food that can give your dog an upset tummy, causing both vomiting and diarrhea and sometimes a visit to the vets.
Raisins and grapes: Are both highly toxic for our pets. They can cause kidney issues if too much is ingested.
Cooked bones: brittle cooked bones are a hazard to your pets. Not only can they get stuck or lodged in their mouths or throats, they can always splinter and cause issues in their stomachs or intestines. Raw bones are okay with supervision.
Baked Ham: Usually cooked with a lot of seasoning and often a lot of added sugars. Just like for us, sugar can be very unhealthy for our pets, especially refined and processed.
Excess fat or skin from leftover meats: These are both too rich and fatty for dogs, too much of this can make it difficult to digest and cause upset stomachs.
Chocolate: Highly toxic for both cats and dogs.
Dairy products: too much milk and rich dairy products are not good for your pets. Can be ok given in moderation, but too many servings from the cheese platter can lead to irritable bowls, constipation issues and GI infections.
Nuts like almonds, pecans, pistachios and walnuts also cause GI upset and be extremely painful when coming out!
Here are some foods your furry friends CAN enjoy with you this holiday! And make excellent healthy snacks!
Plain white turkey or chicken. (No seasonings, especially salt)
Bananas, blueberries, cranberries and apples
Carrots and cucumbers
Pumpkin puree (still in moderation as this can cause both constipation and diarrhea in excess)
Green beans and other greens like broccoli
Sweet potatoes
Bell peppers
Plain white rice
As always you should contact your vet if you feel your dog has ingested something unsafe! Be mindful of what you drop when cooking and celebrating and ensure that your guests are educated on what your pets can and can’t have this holiday season. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday! We hope this was a helpful guide. Let us know in the comments what yummy and safe treats your pets enjoy around the holidays!