Thanksgiving is a time for focusing on the many things for which you are grateful, including your pet, but the festivities can pose dangers to your four-legged friend. When preparing for the feast, take steps to prevent your furry pal from experiencing a holiday emergency. To help you prepare, our Commonwealth Animal Care team provides six Thanksgiving pet safety tips.

#1: Keep your pet away from the feast

Thanksgiving day is all about the big meal, but this holiday’s common foods can harm your pet. In addition, any sudden change in your pet’s diet can lead to gastrointestinal (GI) upset. Specific dangers include:

  • Turkey — No Thanksgiving meal is complete without the turkey. However, the big bird can cause big issues for your pet, including:
    • Turkey skin is high in fat and can trigger potentially life-threatening pancreatitis, which causes a body-wide inflammatory response.
    • Cooked turkey bones are brittle and can easily shatter, leaving sharp edges that can injure your pet’s mouth or face. 
    • Twine used to truss the bird can lead to a GI obstruction if your pet ingests the material.
    • Turkey brine is high in salt, and if your pet ingests too much of this aromatic fluid, they can develop salt poisoning.
  • Onions and garlic — Allium vegetables, such as onions, shallots, leeks, chives, and garlic, contain organosulfoxides that can damage your pet’s red blood cells (RBCs), leading to anemia. Signs typically develop one to three days after your pet has ingested an Allium, and they include lethargy, bloody urine, inappetence, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
  • Unbaked yeast dough — When ingested, unbaked yeast dough can rise and expand in your pet’s stomach, creating a GI obstruction. In addition, the natural yeast fermentation process can lead to alcohol poisoning. 

#2: Don’t indulge your pet’s sweet tooth

The dessert table should also be off-limits to your four-legged friend. Potential dangers include:

  • Chocolate — Chocolate contains pet toxins, such as theobromine and caffeine, that cause stimulating effects in pets. Signs include vomiting, diarrhea, increased respiration and heart rate, restlessness, and in severe cases, collapse and seizures. The darker the chocolate the more significant the risk.
  • Grapes and raisins — These healthy sweet alternatives for humans are dangerous for pets, potentially causing kidney failure.
  • Sugar-free desserts — Sugar-free desserts containing the sugar substitute xylitol can cause a pet’s sudden blood glucose drop. Signs include vomiting, lethargy, incoordination, and seizures. Some pets may also experience liver failure.

#3: Discourage your pet’s dumpster-diving tendencies

If your pet scavenges in the garbage, they may ingest a toxic food or a nonfood item, such as turkey bones or plastic wrap, that can cause a GI obstruction. Keep all garbage in sealed containers and monitor the area frequently for discarded dishes.

#4: Encourage your pet to be a party pooper

Visitors often upset pets and can cause them stress and anxiety. If you host the Thanksgiving feast, take steps to keep your pet calm and stress-free. Tips include:

  • Establish a guest-free zone — Confine your pet to a room away from the party area, and tell your guests this space is off-limits.
  • Mask party noises — Leave music or the television playing to mask party noises.
  • Provide a distraction — Give your pet a food-puzzle toy that will distract them from the party.
  • Check on your pet frequently — To help ensure your pet remains calm while the party is occurring, check on your furry pal frequently.
  • Consider medicating your pet — If your pet is prone to anxiety issues, ask our Commonwealth Animal Care team if a sedative or anti–anxiety medication might be beneficial during the big day.

#5: If your pet is a social butterfly, monitor their whereabouts

Some pets are social butterflies and may object to being left out of the fun. If your pet is comfortable mingling with your family and friends, monitor their whereabouts closely to ensure they don’t sneak out an open door. Other tips include:

  • Post signs — Post signs to ensure your guests know not to let your pet out when they open external doors.
  • Identify your pet — Thanksgiving is a busy day, and you can’t watch your pet constantly. Ensure your pet is properly identified so you can quickly be reunited if your four-legged friend goes missing. Ensure your pet has a collar and tags that have your current contact information and consider having your pet microchipped, which is the best way to provide permanent identification that can’t be lost or removed. 

#6: Prepare your pet for Thanksgiving travel

Whether your pet will be traveling with you or they are staying behind, keep their wellbeing in mind when planning Thanksgiving travel. Holiday travel tips include:

  • Obtain a health certificate — If you are flying or crossing state lines, you will need a health certificate stating that your pet is healthy enough to travel.
  • Never leave your pet in a parked car — Pets are susceptible to heatstroke when left in a parked car, even on mild days, and parking in the shade or leaving the windows cracked open doesn’t mitigate the risk.
  • Restrain your pet properly — When traveling by car, ensure your pet is restrained properly. Restrain your small pet in a carrier placed on the floor behind the passenger’s seat. Secure your large pet with a well-fitted harness or use a pet barrier to confine them to the vehicle’s rear space.
  • Pack for your pet — Ensure your pet has all the supplies they need for the trip, including food, treats, first aid supplies, and medications.
  • Book your pet’s care arrangements early — Thanksgiving is a busy time, and boarding facilities and pet sitters’ schedules fill up quickly. Book your pet’s arrangements early to ensure they will have care while you are away.

Contact our Commonwealth Animal Care team to have your pet microchipped or if you need a health certificate before the Thanksgiving holiday.