Tips for Your Pet's Thanksgiving Diet

Next week is Thanksgiving - a wonderful day to spend around the dinner table with family and friends. With all that we have to be thankful for, the companionship of our furry family members should not be forgotten. In thanks for their unconditional love, we owe it to our cats and dogs to keep their happiness and health in mind at all times. With all the excitement around Thanksgiving, the wellbeing of our pets can sometimes slip our minds. Here are a few tips to ensure your pet's health and happiness on Thanksgiving day:

Uncooked Turkey

Never leave an uncooked turkey unattended on your kitchen counter. The turkey may just magically learn to fly right into your dog's mouth, or it may be nibbled on by a creature whose nibble marks closely resemble those of your cat. The raw turkey meat can contain harmful bacteria that can make your cat or dog sick as...well as sick as a dog.

Dem Bones

Turkey bones can also pose a lethal hazard to your cat and dog. Your pet could easily choke on them. They could also splinter and break while your pet is chowing down. Remember that broken turkey bones can and do tear and get stuck in the throat and other parts of a pet's gastrointestinal tract as the bones work their way through the pet's body.

Turkey Dogs

Most likely your dog has taken up watch duty in front of your oven ever since you put that big delicious looking turkey in to cook. I'll bet they will even tell you when it's done before the timer even goes off! But should you feed your dog or cat some of that great smelling turkey on Thanksgiving?

The answer to this question is both yes and no. Yes, because a little bit of turkey will not hurt most cats and dogs. And the Trytophan may actually help them remain calm during all the Thanksgiving day excitement.
But the reality is that most dogs will receive more than just a 'little bit of turkey'. This is mostly due to over-caring guests who slip Fido and Fluffy a few pieces of turkey under the dining room table. If you have ten guests and each one gives your pet a piece of turkey, you can wind up with a very sick cat or dog.

For a cat or dog that weighs about 15lbs or less, eating one slice of turkey is the equivalent to an adult human eating half a turkey all by themselves. Keep this mind and politely ask your guests not to feed your pets any table scraps - plus this will also discourage your pets from learning to beg at the table.

Therefore eating too much turkey can create a very upset stomach in both cats and dogs. A very obvious sign that your pet has had too much is if they start to have diarrhea. This is the body's natural attempt to rid itself of harmful contaminants as quickly as possible. Although this natural process is somewhat necessary, it can still ruin a perfectly good Thanksgiving. Since prevention is sometimes better than a cure, have a bottle of Plantaeris on hand, just in case. This natural anti-diarrheal is formulated particularly for your pet's sensitive system. It works fast to regulate your pet's intestinal functions.

White Meat or Dark?

If you are going to feed your cat or dog turkey on Thanksgiving day, its best to feed them white turkey meat. This is because dark turkey meat, and the skin of the turkey for that matter, is very rich and fatty. This means that it is much harder for your pet's sensitive system to properly digest and can cause diarrhea and vomiting. In some severe cases, it can also lead to pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas and can be quite lethal in pets. Small dogs and cats, such as Mini Schnauzers, are especially susceptible to having pancreatitis. The main function of the pancreas is to produce good digestive enzymes. But when the pancreas becomes irritated, the regular production and discharge of these digestive enzymes is disturbed. Furthermore, when the digestive enzymes are created but there is no food to actually digest, these enzymes will then begin to digest your pet's body tissue instead. This process places further stress on the pancreas. Your pet's prognosis will be determined by how well he or she responds to the inflammation and how soon they can receive treatment.

Common symptoms of pancreatitis include:
Vomiting
Abdominal Pain
Lethargy
Loss of Appetite
Fever
Diarrhea

If you have reason to believe that your pet has had more than their fair share of turkey and is exhibiting any of the above signs, you should immediately contact an emergency veterinarian. You can also start your pet on a few doses of Plantaeris as well, until you see the vet.

Turkey Treats

A great way to include your dog into your Thanksgiving day festivities is to give them their own turkey treat. You can make one yourself by stuffing a Kong toy with white turkey meat and small pieces of his or her favorite kibble. This should keep your dog busy while you enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with your guests.

Clean Up

After the turkey has been served and your guests have all left with full belly's, be sure to clean up your kitchen and dining table properly. Make sure to throw away all the wrappings from the turkey and other dinner ingredients such as string, tin foil, etc. These are all potential choking hazards for your pet. When throwing away wrappings, tin foil or leftovers in the garbage, whether in the trash can in your kitchen or the garbage can outside, make sure that the lid is on securely. This will help prevent your pet from getting in to the trash, and will also help prevent stray cats, dogs and other wild critters from getting into your garbage outside.

Related Products: Plantaeris for Dog Diarrhea & Cat Diarrhea