Healthy pet, happy holiday.

​December abounds with holiday celebrations, but nothing can spoil good cheer like an emergency trip to the veterinary clinic. These tips can help keep your winter holiday season from becoming not-so-happy – for your pet and for you.

As families gather over hearty meals for the holidays, pets are likely to want to sample the spread.

Animal experts remind pet owners around the holiday season that some foods are OK for their pets, but that others are harmful and could even be deadly.

Here are some of the do’s and don’ts when it comes to feeding your pets during the holiday season.

So what holiday foods ARE good for dogs? ​

Do’s

For dogs, you have the all-clear from PETA on the following highly-nutritious foods: 
▪  Apples
▪  Bananas
▪  Baked potatoes
▪  Carrots (steamed or raw)
▪  Unsweetened cranberries
▪  Cucumbers
▪  Steamed green beans or greens
▪  Cooked sweet potatoes without additives
▪  Pumpkin purée
 
PetMD recommends getting veterinarian approval before serving pets table scraps, and serving them only small portions.
 
The group approves the following foods for dogs and cats:
▪  Turkey (so long as fat, skin and bones are removed)
▪  Mashed potatoes that contain no extra ingredients
▪  Small amounts of cranberry sauce
▪  Macaroni noodles without cheese

Don’ts

Though it may seem obvious, serving alcohol to pets is a no-no.
​
Foods PetsBest insurance group says cats and dogs shouldn’t consume are: 
▪  Stuffing (since it often contains onions, scallions or garlic, which highly toxic for both cats and dogs)
▪  Ham
▪  Turkey bones
▪  Mashed potatoes that contain additives like butter, milk, onion powder or garlic
▪  Grapes/Raisins (highly toxic for pets)
▪  Chocolate (highly toxic for pets)
 
PetMD adds one more to the list both cats and dogs should avoid:
▪  Macadamia nuts (can be toxic)
 
Other items PETA says dogs should avoid are:
▪  Caffeine-containing dishes (can be fatal)
▪  Candy (really those containing the sweetener xylitol, which can cause liver failure)
▪  Dairy products
▪  Chives
▪  Bacon
▪  Nutmeg (can be toxic in large amounts)
▪  Salt/Sugar

Cooked sweet potatoes (minus any additional ingredients), baked potatoes, pumpkin purée, cucumbers, carrots (steamed or raw), steamed green beans or greens, unsweetened cranberries, bananas, and apples are all good choices—and not just during the holidays. They are highly nutritious and will allow your dog to participate in the feast while remaining happy and healthy!

Reference:
https://www.peta.org 
https://www.petmd.com
https://www.petsbest.com