I’m a comfort dog. That’s my job. I pop onto this blog every week and give you advice about the best way to stay comfortable in your home, come rain, shine, or snow. But I think about a lot of other things aside from heating and air conditioning. Not surprisingly, one of the things I think about most is food! I love food!
One of the biggest “feeding” occasions is coming up this week: Thanksgiving. That means lots of leftovers! You might be tempted to give some leftovers with your dog because you want to share the goodness. But… and this is important… there are some popular Thanksgiving foods which can trouble canine digestive systems. You mean well, but sometimes your “treats” aren’t so good for us. Here’s what you need to know:
- Turkey skin: You can give your dog the tender white part of the meat—and we’ll eat it!—but don’t offer your dog the turkey skin. The reason is the skin contains many seasonings and spices that the turkey bastes in, and most of these are toxic for dogs.
- Cranberry sauce: I know you think this is delicious, and cranberries actually aren’t bad for dogs. In fact, cranberries are ingredients in many brands of dog food. So what’s the problem with cranberry sauce? SUGAR! Lots and lots of sugar. And you should never give your dog sugar. (Your cat doesn’t care about sugar and won’t even touch cranberry sauce.)
- Turkey bones: These aren’t good for people, and they aren’t good for dogs either. Cooked bones can cause vomiting in canines, and bone splinters can damage their digestive tracks.
- Mashed potatoes: Personally, I don’t like potatoes. But some dogs do. Unfortunately, if you have a lactose-intolerant pet, all that milk and butter is going to be pretty upsetting for its stomach. Oh, there’s probably seasoning in those potatoes, and as I mentioned above, those are bad news.
- Stuffing and gravy: This takes us back to that “seasoning and spices” issue. Stuffing and gravy are loaded with both, and this can be outright poisonous for dogs and cats.
- Bread dough: You shouldn’t let people eat uncooked bread dough either because it can often carry salmonella. Join your dog in boycotting this!
I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, and satisfied, healthy tummies for you and your furry family members!
Darn, now I’m really hungry…
Oh, everyone else at MK Russell & Abbott wishes you a happy Turkey Day as well. Give them a call if you need any heating services in Lenoir City, TN or the surrounding areas!