How to Keep Your Pet Safe on Thanksgiving

Is your pet ready for Thanksgiving? Like many holidays, it brings with it a few potential hazards for our furry friends. Use your San Antonio, TX veterinarian’s tips, found below, to keep your pet safe and sound when Turkey Day rolls around.

Avoid Anxiety

Are guests coming to your home this Thanksgiving? For many pets, especially those with shy dispositions, this can be overwhelming. If your pet is the type to get anxious, set up a “safe zone” in a quiet back room, complete with a soft bed, plush blankets, and several toys. Lead your pet here as guests arrive so that they have a comfortable, quiet space to relax in.

Beware of Toxic Foods

Plenty of common holiday foods—garlic, onions, chives, leeks, shallots, salty foods, grapes, raisins, chocolate, candy, caffeinated foods and beverages, and more—aren’t safe for our pets. It’s best to keep your animal companion out of the kitchen entirely during meal preparation and dinner time; this way, there’s no chance of them scarfing something up that could do them harm.

Nix the Table Scraps

Don’t allow any of your guests to slip your pet table scraps, including fatty meat, buttery items, or rich foods. Too much of substances like these will surely cause a pet to experience vomiting or diarrhea. Bones are another big no-no, whether they are cooked or raw. When chewed, a bone can split apart into chunks—creating a dangerous choking hazard—or form sharp shards that may cut a pet’s mouth or even puncture the intestinal lining. Give your pet a rawhide treat or a chew toy instead of a bone.

Watch the Garbage

Keep a close eye on your garbage bag this holiday, especially after mealtime. It’s chock full of hazardous materials, from bones and toxic foods to coffee grounds and fatty aluminum foil! A crafty pet can tear or chew right through a flimsy plastic garbage bag, so make sure to put the bag inside of a hard container or in another room entirely so that your pet doesn’t gain access.

Alcohol Awareness

Does your Thanksgiving celebration include alcoholic beverages? Don’t let your pet imbibe, and never give them anything alcoholic—this includes liquor drinks, wine, beer, and champagne—on purpose. Pets can be poisoned by alcohol very easily.

Would you like more great tips for keeping your animal friend safe on Thanksgiving? Contact your San Antonio, TX vet.