Five Pet-Friendly Thanksgiving Foods

Thanksgiving is a great time to give thanks and extra love to your pet, and your dog or cat will inevitably be begging to partake in the big turkey dinner.

Let’s be honest, most of us are guilty of giving our pet a few tastes of our Thanksgiving feast either intentionally or accidentally. While a small amount of mashed potatoes or piece of cooked ham or turkey shouldn’t put your pet’s health at risk, we need to make sure our pets don’t overindulge on these yummy menu items.

Thanksgiving foods that are safe for your dog:

• Turkey can be a wonderful lean protein to share with your pet. You will just want to be sure to remove any excess skin or fat, stick with white meat, and make sure there are no bones.
• Cranberry sauce is just fine for pets but watch the amount of sugar in it. It is probably best to only provide a small helping to your pet’s plate or let them lick your spoon.
• Plain green beans are a wonderful treat for pets. Fresh vegetables are a great addition to any diet.
• Potatoes are a great, filling vegetable to share with your pet. However even though the potatoes themselves are not harmful to pets, be aware of additional ingredients used to make mashed potatoes.
• Pumpkin can also be a sweet treat for your pet, but perhaps take a small portion of canned pumpkin out before mixing it into the pumpkin pie filling to avoid extra sugar.

“While we often talk about the hazards that holiday candy or food can pose to our pets, don’t forget about the alcoholic beverages,” says Louisiana SPCA Community Clinic Director, Jessica Lovelady. “A small amount of hard alcohol has the potential to kill a small cat or dog.”

If your pet does happen to eat something they aren’t supposed too, watch out for signs of distress like vomiting or lethargy. While your normal vet office might be closed on Thanksgiving, there are several 24-hour emergency vet clinics. Please note the Louisiana SPCA Community Clinic is not an emergency clinic. For more information about pet safety tips this holiday season click here.