Thanksgiving with Your Dog

By Deb D’Andrea
4TheLuvOfDogz
Making Tails Wag Better
www.4theluvofdogz.com

With Thanksgiving upon our doorstep, the temptation is to share our bounty with our pups, so let’s run through some Turkey do’s and don’ts:

It is best to feed your pup the white meat and giblets, which are the easiest on your dogs system. Instead of feeding them only on Thanksgiving day, span the tiny tasty treats over a couple days to help keep their system balanced.

It is best to avoid the rich turkey fat, the skin and the dark meat, and definitely no cooked bones. Please be extremely cautious when feeding your pups turkey and remove all pieces of bone. Just like cooked chicken bones, dogs and turkey bones are a dangerous combination.  The bones can splinter and then become lodged in your dog’s throat or cause intestinal obstructions.

As with anything, turkey should be fed in moderation because your pup’s system is not used to turkey and if fed too much, they may end up with the runs, an upset stomach or have an allergic reaction. Some signs of an allergic reaction are they get gassy, chew at the webs of their paws or have generalized itchiness of the skin. There are more allergy warnings, but if you see a change with your pup after they have consumed turkey, stop feeding them turkey.  If the allergies continue, call your vet.

Turkey skin is highly fatty and has been known to cause a condition called Pancreatitis. If the turkey was fried or cooked with bacon, reduce how much you feed due the added fat. Also, be sure the turkey given to them is 100% cooked with no pink, under-cooked meat.  Also be sure the turkey is cooled before serving, so they don’t burn their mouth or tongue.

Do not feed the turkey neck, as it contains several small bones, and, as you’re draining off the turkey juices, resist the temptation to pour some onto the top of your dog’s food since the juice contains a lot of fat and potentially spices, onions and other items from the stuffing. This goes for gravy too as it may contain items mildly toxic to dogs.

Cooked giblets can be an additional treat and you can cut them up into small bits and offer them to your pup. Some dogs will gobble them; others will turn up their noses. No worries if your dog turns up their nose, not all dogs like giblets.

Be sure to include some veggies and fruits with their turkey dinner! Include some lightly smashed vegetables like green beans, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and plain pumpkin.  Pass on the mashed potatoes as my guess is that they contain lots of butter, and don’t feed anything with onions, gravies, or sauces. Bloat can be caused by some stuffings and bread, and remember, sweet desserts are a no-no.

I hope this is helpful for your and your pup; and that you both have a Happy Thanksgiving

 Deb D’Andrea owns 4TheLuvOfDogz, providing mobile Canine Massage, PawQuatics, Canine Agility, and Dogz Nanny services. She also sells her homemade peanut butter dog treats. Contact Deb at 720-675-7078 or email: info@4theluvofdogz.com

If you have questions regarding your pups, drop Deb an email.