Lets face it; come November 1st we switch from Jack-o-lanterns, Halloween costumes and sweets to “Oh My Goodness What Am I Going To Cook For Thanksgiving Dinner?” mode. If the stress of putting together a great meal is not enough, there is always the nuances of organizing that laundry list of family and friends whom you may or may not want to see, but agree because they are; after all, family. Fast forward to the holiday, everyone is gathered at your table and you have even put together a meal that your mother is proud of. But wait, what about your furry friends? While your K9 may not be joining you at the table, they can certainly partake in the holiday meal. Here are a few of the good, the bad and the yummy things your pet can enjoy to be a part of Thanksgiving Day meal.
The Good
We recommend keeping most of these in the raw, as cooking ingredients like butter and sugars can be too fatty and hard on their digestive systems.
- Sweet Potatoes – We all love those delicious candied yams and we agree there is a special place for those golden orange spuds sprinkled with little white marshmallows (it’s called in our bellies). However, when preparing this dish, consider setting aside a few bites (raw) for your pet. These are high in dietary fiber and pack a punch of vitamin C, B6, Manganese, and beta Carotene.
- Green Vegetables – (green beans, broccoli and peas). These vegetables are great for your pet, just be sure to set some aside for Fido before dousing them in butter. These greens are packed with vitamins that will give your pet a boost. While Broccoli has sulforphane known for boosting the immune system, don’t go too overboard on the lil’ green trees because they can actually slow down thyroid function if served too regularly.
- Turkey or Chicken – Everyone else is sitting down to the table and enjoying a delicious bird and as long as it’s white meat, your pet can too. This is an excellent source of protein; but be sure that it is thoroughly cooked and to remove the skin or any bones.
The Bad
Cooked bones – while you might provide a rawhide bone on occasion, cooked bones, like turkey legs, can easily break down and become potential choking hazards.
- Table Scraps – Consider it like this, if you are not interested in eating it, then why would your pet want to eat it? Think of what table scraps really are: bones, gristle or the fattiest pieces of meat. These are all things that are not good for your pet.
- Alcohol – This sounds like a no brainer but with social media, it seems as though there is a genre for videos of pets acting “goofy” because they got into the liquor cabinet. While we understand that accidents can happen, it is not OK to feed your pet alcoholic beverages (beer, eggnog, Tom & Jerrys, etc) no matter how festive the occasion. Alcohol, especially the smallest bit of ethanol, can lead to loss of coordination, diarrhea and in severe situations seizures and comas.
While these are just a few foods that that you should or shouldn’t share with your pet this holiday (or year round in some instances), if you are interested in learning more, follow any of the links for more healthy food ideas. Who knows it may even help in creating a new diet for your pet. Ultimately, we know that this is a time for giving thanks and who better to thank than your furry best friend for all of the great companionship they have provided over the last year? Of course it doesn’t hurt to share a yummy dessert with them too, our choice: a chew toy filled with delicious peanut butter (unsalted and unsweetened).
We want to hear from you. Is there a special plate that you put together for your pet during the holidays? Or is there something we might have missed? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
-The Dogwoods
[button link=”www.Debsdogwoods.com/new-guest-orientation/” icon=”heart” color=”red”]Become A Guest[/button] [button link=”https://thedogwoods.propetware.com/” window=”yes” icon=”pagelines” color=”green” bg_color=”#000000″ border=”#000000″ text=”dark”]Guest Login[/button]