Keep Dogs Safe on Thanksgiving

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Good morning, I got this email article this morning about keeping dogs safe on Thanksgiving so I thought I would pas it along. Most are things we aleady know I am sure but it never hurts to refresh our selves!!!

Keep Dogs Safe on Thanksgiving

Avoid an unplanned trip to the veterinarian over the holiday weekend by taking a few precautionary measures.

As many celebrate a long holiday weekend with turkeys roasting and friends and family visiting, holiday dangers lurk for dogs. To ensure it’s a safe and happy Thanksgiving for all, pet owners should take a few extra precautions on behalf of their dogs.

Avoid feeding dogs table scraps. Sudden diet changes can cause upset stomachs, and feeding pets greasy foods and sweets can overwhelm their digestive systems causing vomiting and diarrhea. Cooked turkey bones can splinter, and if ingested, can cause serious injury to a pet’s intestinal tract.

And while baking holiday breads, ensure the dough is kept away from dogs. When dough is ingested the pets’ body heat causes the dough to rise and expand, which can result in abdominal pain, bloat, vomiting, disorientation, and depression, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

In addition to health risks, extra treats can add unhealthy pounds to a pet’s frame – keep dogs’ nutritional goals in mind to avoid holiday weight gain.

Inform guests of pet’s house rules. Let visitors know the house rules for feeding dogs table scraps or treats and jumping on furniture in an effort to keep pets safe and on track with their normal routines.

Take extra precautions with candles. Dogs who bump into furniture or swiftly run past a candle may knock it over and start a house fire. Keep candles in a location where pets cannot get near them.

Secure trash bins. Pets may try to get into the trash and dig for holiday leftovers. Keep trash lids tightly closed and in locations where they can’t be tipped over.

Keep tabs on pets’ whereabouts. With holiday visitors coming and going, dogs have ample opportunity to escape through the front door. In the event pets do get out, ensure all their identification tags and vaccinations are up-to-date.

By implementing a few precautionary measures, Thanksgiving feasts and festivities can continue while emergency veterinary clinic visits are kept at bay.

[Pat and Traveler]

Good reminders. I've gotten slack about giving the Dood tiny bites of people food, and now get to deal with the puppy-dog eyes whenever I open the refrigerator.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And none of that "green bean casserole", lol. Hold aside a few green beans to give the doodles.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Ditto, Karen. And don't forget the veggies.....squash and peas are favorites of my guys. No corn though.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

A little plain turkey- no gravy, no bones, no skin, and no fat, is fine for dogs who are accustomed to eating fresh foods anyway. Jack gets chicken, turkey, beef, and fish regularly. I would not give it to dogs who never get people food, and I would make sure any seasonings are rinsed off.
And all table food should only be given to a dog in his regular bowl, in it's regular place, at his regular mealtimes, to avoid creating a beggar at the table.

[Doris]

Bodi loves chicken . .. . can I give him some turkey??

[Camilla and Darwin]

Thanks for these great reminders.

[Kyoko]

Thanks for posting this!! I have to make sure the gate to the kitchen is always shut..... otherwise, they may gobble that turkey!!!

[Kathy Spyker]

Thanks for the reminder!!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

These are all great reminders. Thanks for posting this, Denise! It's interesting because when I had Guinness at the Vet last week with the pancreatitis, she said that Thanksgiving is the time of year when they see the most incidents of this. People decide to give their dogs a little "holiday dinner", and their bodies just can't handle the high fat content.