Tips To Keep Pets Healthy This Holiday

Anyone with pets knows that they love to try and find a way under the table to grab any bits and pieces of that Thanksgiving dinner that might hit the floor. It isn’t unusual for some animal lovers to hand off scraps.

While humans may love their Thanksgiving meal, feeding human food to dogs or cats on Thanksgiving could lead to health risks for family pets, according to officials at DuPage County Animal Care and Control. 

Pets should not be given poultry bones, which can easily get lodged in a animal’s throat, or splinter and tear the stomach or intestines, according to a news release from DuPage County Animal Care and Control.

Giving a pet the skin of a turkey or fat from a ham could lead to digestive distress, causing diarrhea, vomiting, or even pancreatitis. While humans may love chocolate, it is deadly for dogs, according to Animal Care and Control. Chocolate contains the chemical theobromine, which is poisonous to dogs.

Another consideration is that the hustle and the bustle of the holidays might be too much for the pets to deal with. One thing pet owners might consider when having additional guests over is to put pets in a quiet area away from all the noise, according to the news release.

And, with more visitors potentially making pets nervous, ensuring pets are microchipped, in case they get lost during the holidays, is also important. If pet owners are traveling with their animals, they should make sure to have temporary pet tags with the contact information where the pet will be for the holidays.

For more tips on what to avoid feeding pets, visit the ASPCA.