Be Aware These Popular Thanksgiving Foods are Poisonous to Dogs
It is tempting to let Fido in on the holiday fun, but there are a few popular Thanksgiving dishes that should be kept away from dogs.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it's a time to gather around with family and smash some delicious home-cooked food. It's also a fun day to give your dogs a special treat or a small Thanksgiving plate as well, but it's important to remember that just because humans can eat it, doesn't mean dogs can. There are a few Thanksgiving staples that are actually not safe for our pups to consume.
Garlic and Onions are BAD for Dogs
Minced garlic, garlic powder, diced onion, and onion powder are all staple ingredients for many Thanksgiving dishes. However, whether cooked or raw, onions and garlic are considered "extremely poisonous" to dogs. According to AKC.org "all parts of the onion plant are toxic to dogs, including the flesh, leaves, juice, and processed powders. Raw or cooked, fried or powdered". And According to PetPoisonHelpline.com garlic is 5 times more potent than onions. So absolutely keep onions and garlic in all forms away from Fido.
Macadamia Nuts, Nutmeg, and Chocolate Are Also Bad
Look, during Thanksgiving, there is always room for dessert, and while we humans like to overindulge on the holiday, we definitely shouldn't indulge our pups. It's a well known fact that dogs can't have chocolate, but there are other dessert ingredients that are toxic to dogs as well. For instance, macadamia nuts and nutmeg are two of the top dessert ingredients that if ingested, can be extremely dangerous to pups.
Avoid The Bones
It's tempting to want to (literally) throw your dog a bone on the holidays, but cooked bones are not the same as bones you purchase in stores. Cooked bones can easily splinter and can actually cause some serious damage to a dog's digestive system. So if you want to treat your pup to a bone this Thanksgiving, get your dog a safe one from the pet store. PetMD.com has more information on bones you should avoid giving your dog, here.
Pet Poison Control Hotline
We try our best to keep our pets safe, but sometimes accidents happen. If your pet happens to get a hold of any of the foods above or ingests something that has you concerned, the ASPCA has a 24/7 animal poison control line (888) 426-4435. This line you can call and they will help guide you on what to do if your pet ingests something that isn't good for them.
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Gallery Credit: Charlotte Barnett