Holiday Food Safety for Dogs: Tips From Your Local Veterinarians
By Annabelle Escandon
Greetings from the Kothmann Pet Hospital Team! As the holidays near, we would like to share some holiday foods that are safe for your pets to eat and what foods are not! Although just feeding your pets their normal day-to-day diet is the best way to go, we understand the feeling of wanting your family pet to feel included during the holidays. However, here is a list of foods that you should avoid giving to your pets during the holidays.
Turkey
Turkey is actually not toxic to pets and can be found listed in most dry food formulas. Lean white turkey meat is actually okay to feed to your pet. However, turkey skin does contain large amounts of salt and fats that need to be avoided in order to maintain a healthy pet.
Leftover Bones
Be extra careful with leftover bones! Cooked poultry bones are a huge choking hazard to pets and could potentially cause a major block within the pet. They can easily splinter once eaten, and that can cause painful internal damage and might even puncture their stomach, leading to a potentially fatal infection.
Mashed Potatoes or Gravy
Potatoes that are peeled, cooked, and plain are a safe option for dogs. White potatoes can be a great source of several healthy nutrients for pets, such as magnesium, iron, and potassium. However, mashed potatoes aren’t one of them. Both mashed potatoes and gravy contain high amounts of sodium that can cause a sudden case of pancreatitis.
Safe Christmas Food For Dogs:
- Plain turkey Dogs can have Christmas turkey meat if it’s plain, without seasoning, and cooked all the way through. Generally, it’s better to serve lean, white turkey to dogs because dark meat has a higher fat content.
- Pumpkin puree Dogs can enjoy plain, canned pumpkin puree, plus it’s actually easier to digest than raw pumpkin and typically is far more concentrated in fiber and nutrients. We always recommend this as a natural way to help with upset stomachs.
- Carrots and Green beans Carrots are a great treat for your dogs to enjoy! They are safe to serve either cooked or raw, and frozen carrots provide a tough chew that gently cleans plaque off teeth. Green beans are also great for dogs, and they are rich in several vitamins.
- Sweet Potatoes Sweet potatoes are actually a healthier alternative to white potatoes, and they taste super yummy to most canine palettes.
For more information and care for your pets, contact Kothmann Pet Hospital at (210) 828-3935 or visit us online at kothmannpethospital.com .
