Be careful of food choices for pets
The Western View: Thanksgiving and Pets
With all the great food on Thanksgiving, WebMD reminds us that our pets can’t always eat the same thing as us, in fact some human foods are poison to our pets. I have a pair of Australian Shepherds who don’t really want WebMD sticking their nose in their food choices, but I have to overrule the dogs on this one; the WebMD advice makes sense.
WebMD says turkey meat is just as good for our dogs as it is for us. However, the fatty skin is not – too much of the skin can cause pancreatitis in dogs. We also need to be very careful of the bones; contrary to what some may tell you, they do not digest easily and can cause serious internal injuries such as a perforated intestinal tract.
It’s surprising what foods are toxic to dogs. We’ve all heard about chocolate, and yes it’s toxic, but so are grapes, and therefore, raisins; and the alliums – onions, garlic, leeks, and scallions – are a poison. Macadamia nuts are dangerous too. You also should not let your dogs eat bread or cake, and should not have any food that is heavily spiced.
With those big sad eyes and skillful begging you know your dogs will get fed, so make sure you’re in control of what they are offered. I ask visitors to not share food with the dogs until after the meal is over, and to clear it with me first. The dogs can have reasonable amounts of turkey meat, mashed potatoes, and sweet potatoes. They get a little gravy for seasoning – I usually make a little plain gravy that has no onions or seasoning. A small amount of cranberries are good – my dogs love them. They can also have green beans if they’re not in a casserole, which might have onions in it.
Last thing is, keep track of your dogs. If there will be a lot of people coming and going, there is a chance of a dog slipping out and getting in trouble on the street. So keep your eyes open and keep your best friend safe.
I’m Len Wilcox and Happy Thanksgiving from the Western View and AgNet West.