Community Corner

Pet Safety Tips for Thanksgiving Dinner

Pedigree and spcaLA offer handy tips to keep dogs and cats safe during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for friends and family—even the four-legged variety. Though Thursday's traditional feast might taste good to people, it can be harmful to pets.

Here are some tips from dog-food maker Pedigree and spcaLA to keep dogs safe:

  • Don't give dogs cooked bones—especially poultry bones—as they can splinter and get stuck in a pet's esophagus, stomach or intestines.
  • Chocolate is toxic for dogs, and the darker the chocolate, the more poisonous it is. According to Pedigree, an ounce of chocolate can be toxic to a 30-pound dog, and many dogs would eat more than that.
  • Don't feed dogs table scraps. Turkey skin and gravy are too fatty for dogs; long-term ingestion can cause pancreatitis, according to spcaLA, while Pedigree noted that foods that are particularly rich and fatty can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
  • Keep pets out of the garbage and off countertops, and discard of leftover bones and scraps in a plastic bag outside.
  • Dogs and cats should be microchipped and have identification tags with a current address and/or phone number, especially during the holidays when people are coming and going. Keep an eye on the door when guests come and go to make sure pets don't sneak out.
  • Teach pets to come when called, just in case they escape.
  • If a pet is nervous around noise, crowds or unfamiliar people, keep it in a separate room with its favorite toys, a comfy bed and soft, soothing music. "Pets that have their own room will feel safer, less stressed and won't be able to accidentally escape out the front door," according to spcaLA.

Following these tips will hopefully help avoid a trip to the veterinarian's office or an emergency animal clinic over the holiday weekend.

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