Hurray for the upcoming holidays – a chance to visit with friends and family and share lots of wonderful tasty food delights! Of course, most of us consider our pets part of the family, so shouldn’t they be included in this gastronomical celebration?
“Well, the easiest answer is ‘no’,” says Dr. Elizabeth Stokes, a Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association member and small animal veterinarian and hospital director at Odyssey Veterinary Care in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. “Many pets do best with a familiar diet in controlled amounts to avoid GI upset. Sometimes even a small amount of unfamiliar food can result in abdominal pain, increased gas/bloating, vomiting or diarrhea.”
Some pets can tolerate small amounts of “table food” successfully with the following guidelines. Dogs are omnivores like people, so can eat meats, vegetables, and grains. Cats are “obligate carnivores” and are designed to digest primarily protein.
For cats, safe holiday snacks might include cooked fish or lean meats in small amounts. Avoid spices (especially onion and garlic) and gravies.
For dogs, many foods that are healthy for us are also healthy for them. Cooked lean meats, vegetables (without butter, spices or sauces), pasta and rice can be well tolerated by many dogs.
All food should be fed out of their regular food bowl at regular feeding times to avoid the constant “big brown eyes pleading” pressures.
“Ask your guests to not give food to your pets since you can’t monitor the volume or safety of their choices,” suggests Dr. Stokes.
Reduce the amount of kibble offered during the holidays if your dog is getting supplemental food to avoid overfeeding. And remember, most dogs are a fraction of our human size so adjust the volume accordingly!
Avoid feeding fats to dogs, especially high fat gravy, since this can trigger a life-threatening and very painful attack of pancreatitis.
According to the CDC, there is no safe way to feed raw meats and bones to your pet. Even deep freezing will not kill all parasites that can potentially be transmitted to your pet and ultimately, to you. Dogs may have eaten raw meat and bones in the wild, but then they weren’t sleeping in your bed or licking your children! Possible infections from raw meats include salmonella, e. coli, Giardia, toxoplasmosis, and others. They may or may not make your pet ill, but some people are at increased risk (very young, elderly or immune suppressed) and can become deathly ill if exposed to these pathogens. It’s just not worth the risk! If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t feed it to your pets!
Also dangerous to dogs are grapes, raisins, Macadamia nuts, walnuts, sugar free gum and candy (xylitol), onions, garlic, chocolate and alcohol. No, it’s NOT funny to see a drunk or high pet – that’s abuse and their smaller size makes them more susceptible to these drugs.
Use these tips to have a safe, pet-friendly holiday at your house!
Happy Holidays!
About Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association
The mission of the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association is to advocate and promote veterinary medicine, while enriching animal and human health. Founded in 1915, The Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association has nearly 2,400 members.
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Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association
(608) 257-3665
