Don't feed your pets the following during the holidays
Avoid these foods!
With Thanksgiving munch-fest happening in 4 days, we might find ourselves either preparing an insane amount of food to host, or visiting homes with also an insane amount of food. Thanksgiving, after all, is a timeless American tradition where we get together and share what we're thankful for, but also overdose on tryptophan in the turkey and all take a much-deserved siesta afterwards.
However, for pet owners like ourselves, we have to take an extra step after devouring said amount of turkey (and stuffing, and cornbread, and cranberry salad, and pumpkin pie, and...ok I'll stop I'm already starving) before we fall into a blissful trip to Foodcomapolis. This is a no-brainer for seasoned veterans, but it may be new for some new pet owners in that we have to make sure our beloved canine and feline members of our family don't have access to the leftover foods from our feasting.
What's wrong with sharing our food with them? Well, here's a list of reasons why you shouldn't share the following food items with your pets for their own safety:
Alcohol: generally causes all the mayhem it causes us humans including digestion problems, breakdown in coordination, difficulty breathing, abnormal blood acidity, coma, and even death.
Avocado: Only give them ripe fruits, and even then remove pits, stems, and the seed from avocados since they're incredibly difficult to digest and also contain a toxic substance known as persin.
Chives, Garlic, Onions: causes gastrointestinal irritation in pets and lead to anemia (red blood cell damage) when fed in large quantities.
Chocolate: This is a well-known fact, but pets cannot handle methylxanthines found in cacao seeds (so really, skip the coffee and any caffeinated stuffs). How bad? Well, vomiting-diarrhea-panting-dehydration-hyperactivity-seizures-death bad.
Dairy: Most dogs are lactose intolerant (Hey! Like me! 😭😭😭) so it'll likely cause digestion issues with them. If you keep feeding them over long periods of time, the high fat content in dairy may also cause pancreatitis.
High salt contents (snacks, bacon, etc.): causes sodium ion poisoning for pets, which its symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, spiking body temperatures, seizures, and death.
Grapes: We don't have a lot of information as to what toxin this fruit has that's so bad for pets, but grapes cause kidney failures in them.
Nuts: Generally, nuts contain a high amount of fats. Pets cannot digest these and may cause vomiting & diarrhea, and sometimes end up with pancreatitis like dairy or fatty meats.
Raw meats/bones: Although wild predators naturally eat raw meat and bones, domesticated animals have become like us and are more susceptible to Salmonella and E. coli bacteria often found in raw or undercooked meats. Bones are also dangerous because small chicken bones or other bone splinters may become lodged in their throats and cause them to choke on it.
Xylitol: This sweetener for gum, candy, toothpaste, and some baked goods and peanut butter can cause liver failure in a lot of animal species due to insulin release leading to hypoglycemia, a.k.a. low sugar levels.
You might not find all of these blacklisted ingredients in all of your food prepared for Thanksgiving, but it's always worth being familiar with these food items so you and your houseguests know what to offer and not to offer your pets. Should they show any of these abovementioned symptoms from accidentally ingesting the wrong foods, please immediately take them to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic for diagnosis and treatment. Or, while you're waiting for help to arrive, you may help alleviate some of your pets' symptoms with a First Aid Kit specifically made and designed for pets
We're offering a $5 discount as a Black Friday Special so help us help you keep your pets safe, healthy, and happy over this holiday season!