Help Fido enjoy a safe, stress-free Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and, for many people, that means large crowds, lots of food and overindulging. When the holidays come around, it's easy for our pets to get lost in the shuffle. Here are some things to keep in mind this Thanksgiving if you've got pets at home.

Pre-Thanksgiving Prep

If your dogs are anything like mine, they are constantly underfoot when anything is happening in the kitchen. On top of that, they think they deserve a bite (or two, or three...) of whatever it is I'm cooking. If you're doing any holiday baking, remember that a lot of ingredients in typical Thanksgiving dishes can be hazardous to your pet's health. Raw bread dough, for example, is extremely dangerous for both dogs and cats. Once ingested, the dough continues to produce gas, which leads to bloated stomachs and a trip to the emergency vet. Raw eggs can also be harmful to your pet, as can uncooked meat.

Thanksgiving Dinner

While it's definitely tempting to show your pet how much you love them by giving them their own holiday feast, remember that their stomachs can't handle many of the foods we eat. Fatty turkey meat, seasoned stuffing, and many other dishes we enjoy can cause your pet to have a severe upset stomach, vomiting, bloating, or worse. Save yourself a trip to the emergency vet and restrict your pet to his normal food. If you can't resist giving your pet an extra treat, stick to just a few bites of something bland like cooked boneless white meat or a spoonful of plain mashed potatoes.

No Bones About It

Keep those turkey bones far away from Fido! In addition to posing a choking hazard, pieces of bone can pierce your dog's stomach or intestinal lining or even form a blockage. Complications from eating bones range from discomfort and bleeding to infections and even death. As an added safety precaution, make sure your dog cannot get the bones out of the trash once they are thrown away.

Company

One of the most overlooked hazards at any holiday gathering is the company itself. For my own dogs, having guests come to our house is the ultimate stress. For dogs that don't tolerate company well, consider confining your dog to another part of the house where he can be more comfortable. Some dogs may be happier in a crate rather than loose in a room. Separating your dog from the guests is also a great way to ensure your pet doesn't get any handouts from people's dinner plates or slips out the door in the chaos of people arriving at your house. Remember that not every dog does well in a crowd, especially if the crowd includes children.

This Thanksgiving, show your pet how thankful you are for them by taking the time to keep them happy and safe!

Alaina Goodnough is the Promotions Coordinator at Cocheco Valley Humane Society in Dover, NH. She lives in Sanford, ME with two parrots, a cockatoo, a cat, a bearded dragon, and two dachshunds. She can be reached at CVHS at devassist@cvhsonline.org. To learn more about Cocheco Valley Humane Society, go to www.cvhsonline.org or call 603-749-5322.