Thanksgiving foods dangerous for dogs and cats: keep these off the plate
Turkey bones, gravy, stuffing with onion, raisins and sugar-free pie are the Thanksgiving foods that send pets to the vet. Plain turkey is fine. Here's the list, and what to do if one gets eaten.
Keep these Thanksgiving foods from dogs and cats: turkey bones and gravy, stuffing with onion or garlic, grapes and raisins, sugar-free or chocolate desserts, and raw bread dough.
A few bites of plain, boneless turkey are generally fine.
Cats: the onion and garlic family in stuffing and gravy matters most, because cats are the most sensitive.
Pet ate something? Call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply).
In this guide8 sections
Cat owner? Onion and garlic in stuffing and gravy are the big one: cats are the most sensitive. Grapes and raisins have only anecdotal reports in cats, no published cases, so keep them away. Xylitol doesn't appear to be as dangerous for cats as for dogs, but keep it from both. Details: Onions, garlic and chives.
Pet ate something off the table? Do this now
Dog ate stuffing with onion? Call now. Signs can take days to show.
Take away whatever is left. Note what it was, about how much, and when.
Call now, even if your pet seems fine. Xylitol can drop a dog's blood sugar within an hour, and grapes or onions can take hours or days to show.
Keep the wrapper, the recipe or the label. The vet will ask what was in it, and sugar-free desserts are the ones to check for xylitol.
Don't make your pet throw up unless the vet tells you to.
Turkey: plain meat is fine; bones, skin and gravy are not
Plain, boneless, skinless turkey is generally safe for pets in small portions. The trouble is everything around it: skin, fat, gravy, sauces and stuffing are hard for pets to digest, and sometimes even a small amount can cause pancreatitis.
Onions, garlic and chives: the hidden one is the stuffing
Onion, garlic and chives can damage red blood cells and lead to anemia. Cooked counts too, and the concentrated kinds are the worst: onion powder, garlic powder and dry onion soup mix. Garlic is 3 to 5 times more toxic than onion.
Cats are the most sensitive, then dogs. That puts stuffing and gravy made with onion or garlic on the no list. Signs often show several days later: weakness, pale gums, collapse. Call when it's eaten, not when signs start.
Grapes and raisins: a kidney risk for dogs
Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. How much it takes varies from grape to grape, and more than one grape or raisin per 10 pounds of body weight may be enough to hurt the kidneys.
Watch the fruit platter, raisin stuffing, rolls and cookies. Vomiting or diarrhea usually starts within 6 to 12 hours, and kidney failure can follow within 1 to 3 days. Cats have anecdotal reports but no published cases, so keep them away too.
Watch the fruit platter, raisin stuffing, rolls and cookies.
Desserts: xylitol and chocolate
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Xylitol is a sugar substitute found in sugar-free desserts, some pies and baked goods and some peanut butters. In dogs it can drop blood sugar within 10 to 60 minutes, and some effects take 12 to 24 hours to show. Call right away; don't wait for signs. It can be deadly for dogs; cats seem less sensitive, but keep it from both.
Chocolate: The darker it is, the bigger the risk. Baking chocolate is the worst, dark is next, milk is lower, and white has almost none of the toxins. Dogs get into it most. Signs usually start within 6 to 12 hours: vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, tremors and, in bad cases, seizures.
Rolls rising on the counter are a real risk. Raw yeast dough expands in the warm stomach and can cause bloat; less commonly, the stomach twists. The yeast also makes alcohol, which can drop blood sugar, blood pressure and body temperature.
Drinks left on a low table count too. Alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination and worse. Dough or a spilled drink means calling your vet now.
Nutmeg: the amount in pie is not the worry
The small amount of nutmeg in recipes is very unlikely to cause serious harm, though it may upset a stomach. A very large amount, like a pet into the spice jar, can cause disorientation, a fast heart rate and possibly seizures, for up to 48 hours. Keep the jar closed and up high.
Guests, doors and trash
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Ask guests not to slip scraps. If you want your pet to join in, give a few bites of plain turkey or a treat made for pets.
Watch the door while people come and go. A pet can slip out while you're taking coats.
Check tags and microchip details before the day, so a pet that slips out can get home.
Nervous pet? Set up another room or a crate with a favorite toy before guests arrive.
Put the carcass, bones and scraps in a tightly tied bag, in a closed bin outside or behind a closed door.
Corn cobs, gourds and pine cones on the table can cause choking or a blocked gut if swallowed.
Flowers on the table? Check the plant list for dogs or cats.
