With the upcoming holiday season right around the corner, pet owners of all kinds are getting quite excited about their friends, loved ones, and other family members gathering. Whether you are introducing new people to new animals, or if you have the same group getting together again, Thanksgiving pet safety is something that is crucial to the health and safety of your pet and your holiday season as a whole. That’s why the team here at Southern AZ Vets has taken the time to come up with some Thanksgiving pet safety tips that can help you have a safe Thanksgiving this holiday season.

Don’t Feed Your Pets Turkey Bones

Who doesn’t love a nice turkey on Thanksgiving? We all know just how tasty this mainstay dish can be both for us as people, and for our pets. While we also know that pets such as dogs love a good bone, it is wise to be careful about the kinds of bones that you give your dog. Turkey bones should not be fed to your pets. They can break apart and splinter quite easily, which can lead to some major issues for the health and wellness of your pet. No matter how tempting it may be to give your dog a turkey bone this Thanksgiving, make sure to avoid it at all costs. Instead, you may want to invest in purchasing some pet-safe bones to give to your animal.

Types of Human Food Your Pet Can’t Eat

With so many dishes getting passed around the dinner table, it is helpful to understand that there are many foods your pets should never eat. While it may be okay to give your pet a bite of one dish, another can cause serious health problems. Thanksgiving pet safety is all about making sure that you know what foods your pet should not eat. While different animals can tolerate different foods, there are some obvious rules to stick to this Thanksgiving season. Dogs and cats have some sensitive diets that can lead to health issues. After all, it’s estimated 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of dental disease by age three, leading to abscesses, loose teeth, and chronic pain. Dogs, for example, should never eat chocolate, raw onions, grapes, raisins, or nuts, and cats should never eat chocolate, alcohol, or raw eggs, among other foods. This is not an exhaustive list, so make sure you research before giving anything meant for humans to your pet, and keep an eye out on their behavior if you choose to give them human food.

Try to Keep Your Pets Calm With a Lot Of Strangers at Your House

The hustle and bustle of a full house can cause an animal a lot of anxiety. If you are expecting lots of guests, try to introduce them to your pet slowly. Rather than overwhelming your pets with a huge crowd, it can help to keep them calm by allowing them to meet people one by one in a slightly less chaotic setting. This can help to keep your animal calm and help them avoid making any major moves that may upset or hurt a member of your family. After all, with the excitement of the holiday season, it can be easy to forget that these aspects of Thanksgiving pet safety are also worthy of your consideration. Not overwhelming your pet during the holiday season may be as easy as keeping things a bit quieter and calmer, in general, this year.

As you can see from this list, there are many concerns that pet owners of all kinds would be wise to take into consideration when they are having a pet around during Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season. It is not enough to simply make the assumption that your pet will end up being fine without any type of supervision. Thanksgiving pet safety is something that requires some careful thought and attention. We hope that our list has given you some ideas on how to make sure that you are abiding by proper Thanksgiving pet safety this holiday season.

At Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center we are happy to provide a wide range of veterinary specialty and emergency services. It is important to have a “primary care” veterinarian to keep your new family member healthy and happy with routine vaccinations and health checks. But if you find yourself in the midst of a veterinary emergency, our team of experienced veterinarians is here to help. When it comes to visiting animal hospitals, we understand that the experience can be full of stress and worry, so we aim to make things as simple as possible. For more information, get in touch with one of our experts today.