Thanksgiving Foods Your Pet Should Avoid

The holidays are a time of celebration, often including indulgent foods shared amongst family and friends. However, it is important to remember what foods should be kept out of your pets reach this holiday and year round.

Fatty foods such as butter, bacon, meat drippings and gravy can cause gastrointestinal problems in pets. One such disease, known as pancreatitis, can cause severe dehydra tion and discomfort requiring hospitalization. Signs to watch out for include diarrhea, vomiting, belly pain and loss of appetite. Other left over items, like discarded turkey bones and corn cobs, have the possibility of causing an obstruction in the stomach or small bowel. This can lead to an emergency situation
requiring surgery to remove the item before it leads to even more severe gastrointestinal damage and sickness.

Many people will often add garlic and onion to entrees and side dishes; however these ingredients can lead to fatal consequences resulting from red blood cell destruction. Other foods such as raisins and grapes have the potential to cause irreversible kidney failure, even when consumed in small amounts.

When it comes to the dessert table, there are several things to avoid giving our pets. Chocolate, depending on the type and amount ingested, can cause a range of signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizure activity and even heart problems. Artificial sweeteners, especially those containing xylitol, are extremely dangerous for pets. Xylitol containing products including peanut butter, mint and gums, can lead to low blood sugar and liver damage when consumed and result in
death.

As you can see, there are many items that we may reward ourselves with through the holiday season; however it is best that our pets are only fed their regular, well balanced diet. If you have any question about an item your pet may have accidently ingested, do not hesitate to contact your local veterinarian or ASPCA Poison Control for treatment recommendations.


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