What NOT To Feed Your Charlotte/Waxhaw Area Pets During Thanksgiving

What NOT To Feed Your Charlotte/Waxhaw Area Pets During Thanksgiving To Keep Them Safe And Healthy

Thanksgiving Day meal preparations have begun in many Charlotte/Waxhaw area households. And if they haven't as yet, they will certainly be starting in the next several days. A lot of the foods we humans look forward to and enjoy during Thanksgiving can be dangerous, if not downright toxic, to our beloved dogs and cats. So if an emergency trip to the vet with your four-legged family member(s) is not on your list of top things to do during the Thanksgiving weekend, here's a list of the top 11 foods/ingredients that you should NOT feed your pets:

1. Turkey: if you must feed your pets turkey, make sure it's off the bone and that you give them white meat. The dark meat and the skin are typically too fatty for them and cause indigestion  if not pancreatitis (which can kill them). Apparently, the majority of emergency vet visits on Thanksgiving result from having fed a dog or cat turkey.
2. Potatoes: only the blandest of white potatoes! No yams, no sweet potatoes, and certainly nothing that has been prepared with garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, spices, etc. These ingredients are highly dangerous to household pets.
3. Stuffing: for the same reasons as not giving your pets potatoes that have been seasoned with onions, garlic, scallions, leeks, mushrooms, sage, etc. And many stuffing ingredients are also highly fatty.
4. Gravy: again, as gravy can be too rich and fatty and seasoned with dangerous items such as onions, garlic, scallions, etc., don't give your pet any gravy.
5. Green Bean Casserole: a perrenial holiday favorite, but again the onions are very dangerous to your pets. I would suggest you know the ingredients in any casserole before feeding it to your cats or dogs.
6. Cranberries: can also contain lots of ingredients that can harm your pet, such as sugar.
7. Alcohol: dogs actually like it. Don't give them any even "for fun." The possible consequences to your pet will certainly less than "fun." This is true for wine, for beer, for egg nog, for hard liquor.
8. Nuts: macadamia nuts are actually toxic to dogs. Walnuts, also, can be dangerous. Be careful with nuts in general--often they will be too fatty for your pet.
9. Sweets: whether it's pie, candied yams, etc., anything that has too much sugar, butter, chocolate, alcoholic ingredients (fruit cake anyone?) can seriously upset your pet's digestion.
10. Grapes: are very toxic to dogs and cats, which means raisins are as well.
11. Artificial Sweeteners: many of us cook or bake today using artificial sweeteners in lieu of sugar. But these also are very toxic to pets. (Another good reason not to feed them any desserts or other foods using sugar that may have had sugar substitutes put into them.)

By the way, if guests bring gifts of flowers, keep them away from your cats and dogs. Did you know that lilys and the water they stand in can kill your cat?

Staying alert as to what ingredients your meal includes, what your pets are eating, how much they are eating, and some common sense will keep your Charlotte/Waxhaw area pets safe during the holiday season and you out of the vet's emergency room!

Here's wishing you, your family, and your pets a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!