Health & Fitness
Safety Tips for Your Pet for Thanksgiving
SAFETY TIPS FOR YOUR PET FOR THANKSGIVING
NEVER FEED TO YOUR PETS!
NEVER give the turkey bones to your pets.
NEVER give rich, fatty holiday foods like turkey skin, ham, and gravy. They can lead to stomach upset and other problems in your pet.
NEVER give alliums (i.e., onions, garlic, leeks and scallions) While it is true that small, well-cooked portions of these foods can be okay if your pet is used to it, ingesting these foods in large quantities can lead to toxic anemia. .
NEVER give grapes and raisins.
NEVER give chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol. They are all toxic to pets and should not be given to them.
TALK TO YOUR GUESTS
Make sure your guests know what they can and can not feed your pets. If they want to feed your pet make sure it is one of the approved items or dog biscuits. Be careful that pets don’t get overfed.
You can say yes to turkey, potatoes, cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese, green beans. Be careful that pets don’t get overfed.
ROUTINE
Pets thrive on routine. It is best to feed your pet their regular meal before the guests arrive. This will help keep them regular and reduce the temptation for begging and stealing.
GARBAGE
Make sure garbage and leftovers are safely disposed of right away, as even trained pets may be tempted to counter-surf or raid the garbage or outside trash. Put a heavy item on all outside trash lids so that stray/wild animals cannot get into the trash as well.
CANDLES
Make sure candles are kept out of reach of curious pets that may accidentally knock them over and start a fire.
PLANTS
Poinsettias, ivy, lilies, mistletoe and holly berries may add beauty to your home, but they are very poisonous to your pets. Keep them out of your pet’s reach.
A SAFE PLACE
If you are having several guests over, put your pets in a separate room with some toys and a bed. Soft music playing also helps them to relax. Pets that have their own room will feel safer, less stressed, and won't be able to accidentally escape out the front door. Another option is to use a pet gate or play pen to house your pet nearby the festivities so they can still see what is going on, but be kept safely indoors.
IDENTIFICATION
Keep current identification on your pet at all times. In the event that your pet does get loose you will have a better chance of having them returned if they have proper identification.
JUST IN CASE
Keep your veterinarian’s phone number nearby just in case of an emergency. Your regular veterinarian will probably be closed on Thanksgiving Day. Keep these numbers close by your phone:
Tufts Vet, 525 South St, Walpole, MA 02081
(508) 668-5454
tuftsvets.org
New England Animal Emergency Center
595 W Center St, West Bridgewater, MA 02379
(508) 580-2515
www.neamc.com
Thank you for caring about the safety of your pet. Enjoy a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!