thanksgiving
Man feeding his dog under the table

Vets Reveal Which Thanksgiving Foods Are Surprisingly Safe to Slip Your Pup Under the Table (And Which Are Definitely Not)

It’s only natural to want to slip some scraps (or even a whole plate) of food to your dog under the table this Thanksgiving. But your well-intentioned display of gratitude might have some unintended – and downright harmful – consequences for your four-legged friend. Are any Thanksgiving foods safe for your pup? The experts have weighed in.

Veterinarians Dr. Vernard Hodges and Dr. Terrence Ferguson of Nat Geo WILD’s Critter Fixers told People that just because you can digest a slew of savory Turkey Day foods doesn’t mean your pets should follow suit. That’s because common Thanksgiving meal ingredients like salt, butter, and seasonings can cause serious gastrointestinal distress for your canine companion – and land you all in the animal emergency room.

Turkey is particularly unsafe, because it contains “bones and other bits” that could painfully – or even fatally – obstruct digestion. Feeding Fido too many table scraps can also lead to pancreatitis. Even desserts aren’t safe to share with your furbabies because things like nutmeg, chocolate, and raisins can all be toxic to pets.

In other words, as much as you want to let your pup gobble gobble gobble all the Thanksgiving foods along with you on Turkey Day, make your pooch stick to its regular pet food diet instead. Besides, that way your leftovers will last longer.

Cover Photo: Milan_Jovic (Getty Images)

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