The bountiful Thanksgiving meal we share with family and friends could provide a number of health hazard for our pets, says a Billings veterinarian.
Much of the traditional Thanksgiving fare is high in concentrated fat and our pet's digestive systems can't handle that, said Dr. Amber Herron of Caring Hands Veterinary Hospital.
“They can have stomach issues, they can have inflammation of the organs which deal with those fats and that can be detrimental to their health,” Dr. Herron said.
Other toxic foods include, onions and garlic in the stuffing; the seasonings and butter on the turkey skin or the marshmallows, spices and sugar on the sweet potatoes. Other food “no no’s” including salty snacks, chocolate, grapes, raisins, alcohol, coffee and caffeine. And an artificial sweetener called xylitol, commonly used in gum and sugar-free baked goods is deadly to dogs and cats.
Dr. Herron says even some simple foods can trigger allergies in some pets.
“So make sure your guests are also aware not to feed them,” she advised, as it is not uncommon to see an increase in pancreatitis, a life-threatening condition, in pets this time of year.
