Thanksgiving Pet Safety

Thanksgiving is just around the corner! With festive gatherings and so much delicious food around, we know there will be plenty of opportunities for your pets to get into some mischief. Check out these tips to keep your pets safe this turkey day!

  1. COOKED BONES AND TRIMMINGS: It may be tempting to let your dog chew on the bones after you cook the turkey, but cooked bones are extremely dry and brittle. In addition to potentially causing intestinal blockages, bones can also splinter in a dog's throat or digestive system and cause severe damage, internal bleeding, or death. Save yourself a trip to the vet this Thanksgiving and keep bones away from your furry friends.
  2. FAT TRIMMINGS OR SKIN: Dark meat turkey and turkey skin is very high in fat. Animals are susceptible to pancreatitis from high-fat content foods. Pancreatitis symptoms include vomiting, depression, abdominal pain, and lethargy. If your pet exhibits symptoms of pancreatitis, call your veterinarian immediately.
  3. BREAD DOUGH: Bread dough with yeast can rise in your pet's stomach and cause discomfort or more serious conditions if consumed. Keep all bread dough out of reach of pets.
  4. WRAPPINGS: Items that have come in contact with food such as foils, waxed papers, turkey bags, strings, garbage bags, and toothpicks can be tempting for animals. These types of items can easily become choking hazards for our pets, so it is best to dispose of them quickly in a secure place.
  5. HOLIDAY FOODS: Foods containing grapes, raisins, and currants can result in kidney failure in dogs. Chocolate and cocoa contain theobromine, a chemical highly toxic to dogs and cats. Ingestion in small amounts can cause vomiting and diarrhea but large amounts can cause seizures and heart arrhythmias. Many sugarless gums and candies contain xylitol, a sweetener that is toxic to dogs and can cause a life-threatening drop in blood sugar or liver failure. Keep dishes loaded with onions away from your dog. Onions contain thiosulphate, which damages red blood cells and can cause anemia in dogs.
  6. SMALL CHILDREN: The holidays are a time for families to come together. With this in mind, do not leave small children with pets unattended. Children can't help but pull ears and tails or lay on pets while they are sleeping. Not all furry friends are patient enough to tolerate this type of play, so keep be sure to supervise children around your animals to keep everyone safe.
  7. IDENTIFICATION: With everyone coming and going during holiday festivities, animals have a greater chance of escaping. Make sure you have valid ID tags or write your phone number directly on your pet's collars so they can be easily identified in the event they get out. Dogs should be wearing their licenses, and consider a microchip. HSVC offers microchipping and ID tag services at the shelter. Please call 805-646-65065 if you are in need. 
Stay safe everyone and have a great holiday week! Reminder, the Humane Society of Ventura County will be CLOSED on Thursday, November 24th, in observance of Thanksgiving Day. Services will resume Friday, November 25th, at 10 am.

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  • Humane Society of Ventura County
    published this page in Latest News 2022-11-21 11:20:57 -0800