Thanksgiving Food Reminders for Pet Owners

SALEM, Va. (WDBJ) – Thanksgiving is right around the corner and while you and your family and friends are enjoying a delicious meal, now is not the time to feed your pets the same food.

“Never underestimate the tenacity of these dogs to find the good stuff,” said Richard Bryant, DVM, medical director and partner at Salem Animal Hospital.

Dr. Bryant said he sees many cases of dogs and cats getting sick from eating things they shouldn’t, especially during the holidays.

“You may have some vomiting, you may have diarrhea, which may only respond to basic treatment, or you may end up with life-threatening pancreatitis, or hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, which if left untreated may Life-threatening. Corn cobs, bones, etc., cheesecloth, they can all become foreign object obstructions that may require surgical removal,” Dr. Bryant said.

Some foods to avoid include: onions, garlic, raisins, grapes, pork, yeast dough, currants, xylitol, cream of tartar, bones, heavy fats (ex: butter and turkey skin), alcohol, nutmeg, chocolate .

If you think your dog or cat has eaten something they shouldn’t, he says you shouldn’t wait to call your pet’s doctor.

“You know, it’s one thing if your dog has a little gas or loose stools, but when they start vomiting repeatedly, I suggest they get it checked out because it’s probably something simple, right? Maybe they just need a bland diet and A little medication to help them get through it. Or it could be the onset of a bowel obstruction, you know, that’s going to require surgery, and the longer you wait, the harder it is to fix them,” Dr. Bryant said.

I recommend discussing with your guests not to feed your pets.

“Keep them away from temptation, you can’t remove temptation from your house because everyone is enjoying it. Yes, that’s the point. But you can, and if you need to confine the dog to a crate etc., you absolutely Okay. If they can’t get in, then you can make sure at the end. Everything is pulled up. Now everything is off your guests and then you can release them and, you know, let them have fun as well… Stay safe. Right Your pet needs to be proactive. Have a great holiday, but don’t be too cautious,” Dr. Bryant said.

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