Giving Thanks For Our Pets
What are you thankful for this year? Despite the adjustments we’ve made to the way we shop, work, and go to school, we remain grateful for our family and especially our pets. While you may plan to celebrate a low-key Thanksgiving, including your pet in the festivities can make the holiday extra special.
When we think of Thanksgiving, the grand family meal comes to mind. We fill our plates and help ourselves to seconds and thirds while the dog sits patiently close, hoping for a morsel to fall from the table. Table scraps fed on a regular basis are highly discouraged, but for an occasion such as this you may consider allowing your dog to enjoy a small part of the Thanksgiving feast, provided you first take precautions.
Serve your pets their own holiday dinner. A can of Merrick’s Thanksgiving Day Dinner has all the flavors of the season.
Ingredients typically found in holiday meals -- onions, raisins, garlic, and milk and cheese -- are toxic to pets and may cause gastrointestinal and other health problems. As you prepare proteins and side dishes, set aside a small portion that hasn’t been cooked in butter, oils, or dairy-based gravies. Some foods from the Thanksgiving table that may be shared in moderation with your pet include:
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Skinless, plain turkey without fat or drippings
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Steamed broccoli and cauliflower, cooked plain
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Sweet potato, cooked plain and served mashed or cut into tiny bites
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Apples and carrots, cut into manageable chunks
You may wish to put some of your dog’s holiday treats in a dispensing chew toy like a KONG Classic to occupy their time while the family eats.
KONG STUFF’N Real Sweet Potato treat is also great for getting your dog into the Thanksgiving spirit.
Of course, what is Thanksgiving without dessert? Sweet holiday pies call to all of us, but keep them away from your pets. Whipped cream and artificial sweeteners like Xylitol can make a dog very sick. Instead, simply scoop a dollop of Nummy Tum Tum’s 100% Pure Organic Pumpkin into a pet dish and top with a tablespoon of plain yogurt for a delicious, crustless “pie.”
Alternatively, treat your dog to a few pumpkin flavored Bil-Jac Dessert Jacs.
We at Care-A-Lot Pet Supply wish you and your pets a safe and Happy Thanksgiving holiday. We will continue to provide a safe shopping experience at all four locations in Hampton Roads, including curbside service and contactless home delivery in select areas.