Paws-a-tively Informative
Thanksgiving & Your PetsThe upcoming holidays are sure to be filled with excitement, family, food, and fun. However, for your pets, their experience could be quite the opposite. Most pet owners love to sneak their pooch a table scrap or two on Thanksgiving, but pet experts say it’s critical to make sure you know which Thanksgiving foods are safe to give to pets.
Most of the dishes on your Thanksgiving menu are dangerous to give your furry family member in large amounts, primarily due to their high fat content.
In an interview with ConsumerAffairs, Petplan’s staff veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Maniet noted that the most common pet hazards during the Thanksgiving holiday are related to the ingestion of dangerous food.
Health Hazards
Such foods as chocolate, raisins, grapes, and desserts can contain the sugar substitute Xylitol, which is toxic to both dogs and cats and can cause organ failure.
The potential health effects of allowing pets to eat from your plate include severe pancreatitis, food poisoning, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Additionally, pet owners shouldn’t give pets leftover bones. Brittle bones splinter easily and can cause serious problems for pets including tongue or mouth lacerations or even an obstruction in the stomach or intestines.
Keeping Pets Safe
Amid the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving festivities, it can be difficult to make sure pets don’t accidentally eat something they shouldn’t. To help ensure well-meaning guests don’t accidentally sicken your pet, Maniet offered the following advice.
“Advise your guests and your family to not feed your pets any table scraps. If they cannot resist slipping a few treats, then I recommend using your pet’s regular kibble in small amounts,” she said.
“Also, I recommend adjusting the time you feed your pets so that as you sit down to eat dinner, your pets can simultaneously be chowing down on their own pet food,” she added.
And when the meal is over, be sure to clear out remnants of food that may be tempting to your pet.
Pet-Safe Thanksgiving Menu
While many Thanksgiving foods can potentially cause adverse health effects, other Turkey Day treats are perfectly fine to feed Fido in moderation.
As long as your pet does not have any food allergies or sensitivity (and you keep treats to less than 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake) the following Thanksgiving-themed homemade treats can be given your pet.
Counter Surfing 101
Ahh, the kitchen counters…what’s the appeal? Do you have that one dog, no matter what you seem to do, seems to always be getting in trouble for getting onto the counter? Have you ever brought home dinner only to have it suddenly disappear when you turn your back? If so, you have a counter surfer! Counter Surfing can be extremely dangerous for your dog’s especially if you leave utensils (sharp knives) or foods out that are toxic to your pets such as chocolate, onions, garlic, some fruits – grapes, stone fruits (if your dog bites open and ingests the pit) just to name a few.
Just as pizza smells oh so good to you, it has the same effect for your dog except the scent is intensified thousands of times making their want to get at the food that much more amped up. As the holidays approach, and as pet owners, its our responsibility to make sure your dog is trained to stay off the counters where they cannot access foods they should not be consuming which can cause severe digestive issues. A simple command to teach your dog is the “leave it” command. I can leave an entire plate of food on a low table tell my dog to “leave it”, come back and my plate of food will still be there. This one command can help save your dog’s life. I have personally trained my dogs to stay out of the kitchen, they are only allowed into the kitchen if they are given a command or a hand gesture. If you are at your wits end because everything you have tried has failed, you might want to contact a certified pet trainer who can provide you with assistance to correct this action.
Just as dogs counter surf, so do cats. However, your friendly feline may wait until you are out of the room or out of the house entirely. If you think your cat does not counter surf, you are mistaken! Cats have a different mentality than dogs if they are awake, they are hunting. Have you ever heard the phrase, curiosity killed the cat? If you have a cat, you have a hunter and what better place to hunt then where the humans spend time chopping and preparing foods. Cats are also notorious for knocking stuff off counters just because they can. You can’t change this behavior no matter how much you try its built into them.
Danger lurks not only within the foods you leave on the counters but with your utensils. An open sharp knife can be just as dangerous as a piece of chocolate or garlic to your pet. Since we know cats like to knock things off the counter, could you imagine your cat knocking off a sharp knife that accidentally lands on another pet on the floor? Please do your due diligence in making sure your counters are clear from tempting foods and knives that can potentially injure your pets.
Essential Oils and Your Pets
What are essential oils? Essential oils are oils typically extracted from plants. They have a powerful fragrance (or “essence”) of that plant. They are not true oils in the chemical sense of being long chains of fatty acids. For instance, olive oil and olive essential oil are two different things. Rather, essential oils are derived from certain volatile compounds within a plant.
Essential oils are definitely having their moment right now as families all over the country trade in their chemical-heavy household products for them. Essential oil enthusiasts use these remedies for cleaning, relaxation, health, and other reasons.
People love their pets, so putting essential oils and animals together is a logical next step for many folks who also love their oils and are seeking alternatives to other pet-cleaning or pampering products. After all, pet owners are usually generous people who love to share what they have with their furry family members.
Unfortunately, while many essential oils are beneficial for humans, they are often harmful to pets. This also applies to oils that you are not placing directly on your pet. For instance, people frequently use essential oils with diffusers, but even using an oil in a diffuser or a warmer can potentially make your animal sick!
Essential oils are huge right now — for people and for pets. But did you know that some are dangerous to animals? That’s right: Your favorite holistic remedies might be toxic for your dog or cat. Please research any essential oils you are looking to use in your home to make sure it is safe for your pets.
Refer a Friend, Get a FREE Pet Visit!
Word travels fast, and we love referrals! If your family or friends sign up for pet care for three or more consecutive days, you will receive one complimentary pet care day (not exceeding $20).
Not all Pet Sitters are alike, just as no two pets are alike. Please take the time to interview your pet sitters to ensure that your pet or pets will be getting the quality care that they deserve.
1. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/thanksgiving-foods-that-are-toxic-to-pets-111017.html
Most of the dishes on your Thanksgiving menu are dangerous to give your furry family member in large amounts, primarily due to their high fat content.
In an interview with ConsumerAffairs, Petplan’s staff veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Maniet noted that the most common pet hazards during the Thanksgiving holiday are related to the ingestion of dangerous food.
Health Hazards
Such foods as chocolate, raisins, grapes, and desserts can contain the sugar substitute Xylitol, which is toxic to both dogs and cats and can cause organ failure.
The potential health effects of allowing pets to eat from your plate include severe pancreatitis, food poisoning, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Additionally, pet owners shouldn’t give pets leftover bones. Brittle bones splinter easily and can cause serious problems for pets including tongue or mouth lacerations or even an obstruction in the stomach or intestines.
Keeping Pets Safe
Amid the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving festivities, it can be difficult to make sure pets don’t accidentally eat something they shouldn’t. To help ensure well-meaning guests don’t accidentally sicken your pet, Maniet offered the following advice.
“Advise your guests and your family to not feed your pets any table scraps. If they cannot resist slipping a few treats, then I recommend using your pet’s regular kibble in small amounts,” she said.
“Also, I recommend adjusting the time you feed your pets so that as you sit down to eat dinner, your pets can simultaneously be chowing down on their own pet food,” she added.
And when the meal is over, be sure to clear out remnants of food that may be tempting to your pet.
Pet-Safe Thanksgiving Menu
While many Thanksgiving foods can potentially cause adverse health effects, other Turkey Day treats are perfectly fine to feed Fido in moderation.
As long as your pet does not have any food allergies or sensitivity (and you keep treats to less than 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake) the following Thanksgiving-themed homemade treats can be given your pet.
- Pumpkin Smoothies. Just two ingredients are needed to make this creamy, pet-friendly pumpkin drink.
- Peanutty Crudités. Veggies and peanut butter are key ingredients in this treat.
- Simple Sorbet. A refreshing ice cube treat for pets.
- Roasted Turkey Medallions. This protein-rich snack is made from turkey, carrots, and oatmeal.
- Scrumptious Sweet Potato Cookies. Sweet potato and banana are the main ingredients in this low-calorie cookie.1
Counter Surfing 101
Ahh, the kitchen counters…what’s the appeal? Do you have that one dog, no matter what you seem to do, seems to always be getting in trouble for getting onto the counter? Have you ever brought home dinner only to have it suddenly disappear when you turn your back? If so, you have a counter surfer! Counter Surfing can be extremely dangerous for your dog’s especially if you leave utensils (sharp knives) or foods out that are toxic to your pets such as chocolate, onions, garlic, some fruits – grapes, stone fruits (if your dog bites open and ingests the pit) just to name a few.
Just as pizza smells oh so good to you, it has the same effect for your dog except the scent is intensified thousands of times making their want to get at the food that much more amped up. As the holidays approach, and as pet owners, its our responsibility to make sure your dog is trained to stay off the counters where they cannot access foods they should not be consuming which can cause severe digestive issues. A simple command to teach your dog is the “leave it” command. I can leave an entire plate of food on a low table tell my dog to “leave it”, come back and my plate of food will still be there. This one command can help save your dog’s life. I have personally trained my dogs to stay out of the kitchen, they are only allowed into the kitchen if they are given a command or a hand gesture. If you are at your wits end because everything you have tried has failed, you might want to contact a certified pet trainer who can provide you with assistance to correct this action.
Just as dogs counter surf, so do cats. However, your friendly feline may wait until you are out of the room or out of the house entirely. If you think your cat does not counter surf, you are mistaken! Cats have a different mentality than dogs if they are awake, they are hunting. Have you ever heard the phrase, curiosity killed the cat? If you have a cat, you have a hunter and what better place to hunt then where the humans spend time chopping and preparing foods. Cats are also notorious for knocking stuff off counters just because they can. You can’t change this behavior no matter how much you try its built into them.
Danger lurks not only within the foods you leave on the counters but with your utensils. An open sharp knife can be just as dangerous as a piece of chocolate or garlic to your pet. Since we know cats like to knock things off the counter, could you imagine your cat knocking off a sharp knife that accidentally lands on another pet on the floor? Please do your due diligence in making sure your counters are clear from tempting foods and knives that can potentially injure your pets.
Essential Oils and Your Pets
What are essential oils? Essential oils are oils typically extracted from plants. They have a powerful fragrance (or “essence”) of that plant. They are not true oils in the chemical sense of being long chains of fatty acids. For instance, olive oil and olive essential oil are two different things. Rather, essential oils are derived from certain volatile compounds within a plant.
Essential oils are definitely having their moment right now as families all over the country trade in their chemical-heavy household products for them. Essential oil enthusiasts use these remedies for cleaning, relaxation, health, and other reasons.
People love their pets, so putting essential oils and animals together is a logical next step for many folks who also love their oils and are seeking alternatives to other pet-cleaning or pampering products. After all, pet owners are usually generous people who love to share what they have with their furry family members.
Unfortunately, while many essential oils are beneficial for humans, they are often harmful to pets. This also applies to oils that you are not placing directly on your pet. For instance, people frequently use essential oils with diffusers, but even using an oil in a diffuser or a warmer can potentially make your animal sick!
Essential oils are huge right now — for people and for pets. But did you know that some are dangerous to animals? That’s right: Your favorite holistic remedies might be toxic for your dog or cat. Please research any essential oils you are looking to use in your home to make sure it is safe for your pets.
Refer a Friend, Get a FREE Pet Visit!
Word travels fast, and we love referrals! If your family or friends sign up for pet care for three or more consecutive days, you will receive one complimentary pet care day (not exceeding $20).
Not all Pet Sitters are alike, just as no two pets are alike. Please take the time to interview your pet sitters to ensure that your pet or pets will be getting the quality care that they deserve.
1. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/thanksgiving-foods-that-are-toxic-to-pets-111017.html