PITTSBURGH — The Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh (HARP) is sharing advice on how families can make their Thanksgiving celebrations pet-friendly.
Families may often want to slide their furry friends a few bites to eat under the table as a way of expressing their gratitude for companionship, but HARP said it could cause them harm.
Here’s a list of Thanksgiving foods and what you need to consider with each dish to keep your pets healthy and safe:
• Turkey: Skip sharing turkey meat with your pet, especially fatty dark meat and skin. (A tiny bit of unseasoned white meat is generally safe.) Never give pets turkey bones. Cooked bones can easily splinter and cause choking or serious internal injuries.
• Garlic, onion, leeks, and chives: Common holiday seasonings found in dishes like stuffing, potatoes, gravies, and green bean casseroles are toxic to pets and can damage their red blood cells. Even small amounts can be harmful, so it’s best to avoid offering any food seasoned with these ingredients.
• Unbaked dough with yeast: Raw yeast dough expands as it rises, which can cause painful stomach bloating or even life-threatening blockages in pets. Fermentation in the stomach can also lead to alcohol poisoning. If you’re baking rolls or bread, keep dough safely out of reach—inside a turned-off oven or microwave, not on the counter.
• Desserts: Holiday treats such as pies, cookies, and fruitcakes may contain ingredients that are toxic to pets, including chocolate, raisins, currants, and the sugar substitute xylitol (sometimes labeled as birch sugar). Keep desserts well out of reach and don’t let curious noses sneak a taste.
• Rich or fatty foods: Butter, cream, gravy, bacon, and turkey skin can cause more than a mild stomach upset. In pets, they can trigger pancreatitis, a painful, potentially serious inflammation of the pancreas that requires immediate veterinary care.
HARP said there are plenty of options to share with your pets on Thanksgiving, including: raw fruits and vegetables such as baby carrots, green beans, apple slices, chunks of sweet potato, or a small spoonful of plain pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling).
Pet owners are reminded to keep an eye on their animals, too. Make sure they do not help themselves by securely closing trash cans.
If your pets happen to get into something that isn’t good for them, owners are encouraged to contact a veterinarian right away if they begin showing signs that they are sick. In an emergency, the phone number for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is (888) 426-4435.
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