Jax Pet Nanny At Your Service

As Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, I wanted to share with you with the following safety tips that you can share with your family and friends over the upcoming holiday season so we can keep our four legged family members safe.  Enjoy!

Turkey Skin – On its own, turkey skin can be fatty and hard to digest, but onThanksgiving it’s particularly bad (just think of the butter, oils ands pices rubbed into it). If you must share the turkey with your dog, dopeel the skin off and cut the meat up into bite-sized pieces. Andconsider choosing the white meat over the dark for your pooch – it’s a little blander and easier to digest.

Cooked Bones - Whether your bird is duck, goose or turkey, do notgive the bones to your dog. Any dog cartoon features Fido carrying abone around in his mouth, but the reality is that a cooked bone is often brittle and sharp pieces can get lodged in your pet’s intestine.And bird bones are hollow and break easily.

Gravy/Buttery Side Dishes - This one goes hand-in-hand with theturkey skin. Fatty foods and trimmings can cause pancreatitis in dogsat worst and diarrhea or vomiting at “best.” ThePoop.com suggests substituting gravy with a little turkey broth if you really want to give your pup a treat.

Aluminum Foil and Plastic Wrap – Dispose of these when you’re donewith them. There are two risks here: one, your pet will be licking the fatty substances off the wrappings, and two, swallowing these can causean intestinal obstruction.

Chocolate - Not that we think that you would intentionally feed your dog chocolate (which we all know can be toxic to our caninefriends), but since candy is often left out on tables for guests duringthe holidays, it made the list. Be sure to keep bowls filled with chocolate out of reach.

The Garbage Pail – A frustrated pet who can’t get a scrap out ofhis usually-generous parents may be tempted to dig around the trash bin and find a good number of the items listed above.

The Kitchen – Thanksgiving can be the busiest day of the year forthe kitchen, and you’ll want to keep your pup out of there. With hot dishes being whisked from one counter to the next, there’s a chance adog that’s under foot could be burned or cut if something were toshatter.

Holiday Plants – Sure it’s Thanksgiving, but a good number of people have already decked the halls with holly by this time. Know that Poinsettias, holly berries, mistletoe and Cedar Christmas trees are toxic to dogs.

Decorations – Glass ornaments and candles are just begging for trouble. Like the chocolate, keep these out of reach of your pups.

Guests Who Mean Well – Educate your less pet-savvy visitors (and hey, maybe even send them this list!). A child may accidentally feed adog some chocolate and your great aunt might think she’s being nice by sharing her turkey skin with your furry family member.

Be safe and I wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!

~Ashley

Jaxpetnanny@gmail.com