Thanksgiving Pet Safety in Plainview
The Safe & Unsafe Pet Food Guide
Thanksgiving is a time to share good food and good times with the ones we love. Our pets, of course, fall into that category, but unfortunately for them, many of the foods we enjoy are dangerous. To help keep you and your fur family safe and healthy this holiday, our 24/7 emergency animal hospital has come up with a Thanksgiving pet safety food guide so you can learn what is safe to share, and what isn’t.
Pet Safe Foods
All of the foods on this list can be shared in small quantities and only if they are unseasoned. Most of them need to be well-cooked as well, unless otherwise indicated. Furthermore, any meat you share with your pet should never include bones, skin, or fat pieces — lean cuts of meat, only!
Pet Safe Foods
- Beef
- Bread – both white and wheat
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Butternut squash – without the skin
- Carrots – cats can only enjoy them cooked, but dogs can have them cooked or raw
- Celery
- Cheese
- Chicken
- Cinnamon – okay in very small amounts
- Corn – kernels only; corn on the cob is a choking hazard
- Cranberry sauce – only a little, since many recipes are high in sugar
- Gravy – safe, except if it contains toxins like onions and garlic
- Green beans – both cooked and raw
- Milk – in very small amounts
- Mushrooms – store-bought varieties only
- Nutmeg – only safe for cats in very small amounts; nutmeg is unsafe for dogs
- Pork – ham and bacon should be avoided
- Potatoes – cooked only; raw potatoes are lethal to cats and toxic to dogs
- Pumpkin – plain cooked pumpkin only; no pumpkin pie filling
- Rice – white or brown
- Sweet potatoes/candied yams – plain sweet potatoes/yams are safer than candied varieties due to the sugar content and some possibly dangerous spices
- Turkey
Unsafe Pet Foods
The following list includes foods that are toxic to cats and dogs. These foods should never be shares with your furry best friends. If your pet does eat any of the items on this list, please contact us at 516-501-1700. We have emergency veterinarians on staff 24/7 so help is never out of reach.
Unsafe Pet Foods
- Chocolate – Cats and dogs have trouble metabolizing two stimulants in chocolate: theobromine and caffeine. The darker the chocolate, the higher concentration of these stimulants.
- Garlic – Garlic contains thiosulfates, which are highly toxic to dogs, and garlic is about five times as toxic as onions for cats.
- Grapes/raisins – Both grapes and raisins are poisonous to cats and dogs.
- Ham – Ham has far too much sodium and fat to be safe for pets. The same goes for bacon!
- Nutmeg – Nutmeg is toxic to dogs, due the myristicin in it. For cats, it is acceptable in very small amounts.
- Onions – Onions are highly toxic to cats and dogs — and that includes onion powder!
- Pecan pie – This pie is way too rich for our pets because of the oily, fatty pecans and sugary filling.
- Pumpkin Pie – While plain pumpkin is safe, the added condensed milk, sugars, and spices of the pie filling are dangerous for our pets.
- Stuffing – Stuffing very often contains ingredients that are dangerous to pets, such as onions, garlic, and/or shallots.
- Xylitol – Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is very toxic to pets. It is commonly found in many sugar-free baked goods, peanut butters, and candies.