4 Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe This Thanksgiving Season

The Thanksgiving season is a great time to gather with friends and family, and it is no secret that this holiday comes with its fair share of food on the table. Don’t let a trip to the emergency vet ruin the festivities. Be sure to follow these tips from Heart + Paw veterinarian, Dr. Amber Karwacki on how to keep your pet safe during the Thanksgiving holiday and check out her dog friendly recipes that are sure to please your furry family members!

1. Put The Trash Away – Any leftovers from making a Thanksgiving turkey – such as a turkey carcass, bones, string, as well as all other trash could be dangerous if eaten by your pet. Always make sure that the counters are free of trash and food that is not being watched, and that any trash has been disposed of properly in a trash bag that is not accessible to pets. 

2. Keep Guests in Mind – Especially following the pandemic, most people have not had large gatherings of people in their home, and this might be something that your pet has to get used to again, or for the first time. If you are planning to have guests over and know that your pet might be anxious in this situation, prepare a separate room with your pets bed and favorite toys where they can go to be away from all the excitement of guests. Ask your veterinarian if anxiety medication or pheromone therapy would help your pet during the holidays.

3. Be Careful with Plants – During the Thanksgiving season you may be receiving or decorating with various traditional fall plants, however, these plants can be toxic if ingested by your pets. The most common fall plants that are toxic to both dogs and cats are the Autumn Crocus, Chrysanthemums (often known as mums), and acorns that fall off of oak trees. If you think that your pet might have gotten ahold of one of these plants, it is important to contact your veterinarian immediately. 

4. Avoid Turkey Skin – While a nice piece of turkey might sound like something you can share with your dog, since there are turkey-based pet foods after all, it is important not to give your dog any turkey skin or dark meat. Turkey skin is very high in fat, which is something that is hard for dogs to digest even in small amounts. Remember that certain foods like garlic and onions are toxic to dogs as well. If you want your dog to join in on the feast, consider baking a chicken breast (no skin or seasoning) along with a sweet potato. Add in some baby carrots for a nice crunch to the meal. For another fun Thanksgiving treat, Dr. Amber Karwacki has shared a pet friendly recipe below that is sure to satisfy your dog. 

Dog-Friendly Thanksgiving Treat Recipe

Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Treats

2 ½ cups of whole wheat flour           

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 eggs

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup canned pumpkin

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• Combine together flour and cinnamon

• Whisk together eggs, pumpkin, and peanut butter

• Add the flour mix to the pumpkin mix until combined, the dough will be a little dry

• Roll the dough to ½ inch thickness and use cookie cutters to make fun shapes

• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 40 minutes (until hard)