What Do You Feed Your Pets During the Holidays?

Thought it would be a good idea to brush up on some holiday foods that are definite NOs  for your pet. You may have seen these before, but there may be some new ones you haven't thought of. I'll be blogging a couple of times on this subject because Christmas is not that far away.

Fruitcake

 A holiday fruitcake is a long-standing (and often dreaded) holiday gift and treat. The ingredients in fruitcake, although delicious, are actually extremely dangerous to your pets. Grapes and raisins are associated with the development of kidney failure in some pets who have ingested them.

Turkey or Ham Skin

A turkey or ham is a staple at almost every holiday feast. But did you know that foods high in fat, like the turkey and ham skin, can actually be very harmful for your pet? The skin holds onto all of the butter, spices, marinades, and oils that were used to cook the meat. This makes it very hard to digest. Meat soaked strings leftover from a holiday ham or roast should be thrown away and taken out to the garbage immediately, as they are extremely tempting for a pet to ingest. These can get tangled inside the intestines and require surgery. Also a no-no are cooked bones which can become brittle causing them to splinter into sharp edges and are known to get stuck in the teeth, causing choking hazards when caught in the throat or cause a puncture of the stomach lining or intestinal tract.

Nuts 

These are especially risky for dogs. Macadamia nuts in particular can cause discomfort. Put the bowl in an unreachable place.

Baking Essentials: Chocolate, Dough, And Batter

Baking Christmas cookies is a beloved family tradition that many look forward to all year. Keeping your pet out of the kitchen while you prepare those delicious Christmas desserts is a smart idea. Even small amounts of chocolate can harm them, and dough can actually rise inside of their bellies, which causes stomach pain. Spare batter contains uncooked eggs, which are always a risk for Salmonella.

Of course, telling your pet no doesn't always mean that they agree! 

You may also get these reactions!

So, please watch that your pets don't get any of these foods. We don't want them to be sick for the holidays!

Another thing to remember:

We'll talk about four more foods next week.

Marion Lovato is the author of Sam, the Superkitty.  Her book describes an ordinary cat changing into a superhero to protect his family from things that go bump in the night.  Available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle edition.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604588667