As pet parents, we often think how grateful we are to have our furred, feathered and scaly friends in our lives.What would we do without them? We wish they could live forever! And at a time like Thanksgiving, we and our guests want to show them how much we love them - often by giving "special" treats.

But what's a safe treat for your pets? The American Veterinary Medical Association and The American Animal Hospital Association offer pet parents lots of information on how to make holidays special for pets. The AVMA advises that fatty foods - think poultry skin, other animal fat - are hard for animals to digest. Bones can damage your pet's digestive tract. Holiday sweets (and kids' cereal!) can contain ingredients harmful to pets.

Keep the feast on the table!

• A smallportion of plain, boneless, and skinless turkey is generally safe, but any other table scraps - think gravy, sauces, dressing, meat or poultry fat or skin - can cause pancreatitis, even in small amounts. 
• Bones of any kind are an absolute no-no.
• "People foods" like onions, raisins, garlic, and grapes are poisonous to pets, causing neurological damage and sometimes death.
• No pie or other desserts! Pumpkin pie ingredients, chocolate, artificially sweetened foods containing xylitol can be deadly if eaten by cats and dogs.
• Unbaked yeast-based bread dough can be harmful if eaten by dogs or cats, causing painful gas and potentially dangerous bloating.
• To keep pets safe, buy or make a treat specially designed for animals.

Hide the Trash

• Keep all that yummy, delightful smelling waste in the garage or closed room where pets can't get to it.
  

Keep Decorations Out of Reach

• Many flowers, plants, festive table decorations can be dangerous to pets. The ASPCA has complete lists of plants toxic to cats and dogs.
• Keep pets away from all plants and table decorations.

What About Your Guests?

• Your pets may know your guests but can still be made nervous or afraid by all the holiday cheer.
• Make sure your pets are in another, quiet room in a crate or with a favorite toy. Lessening their emotional stress can protect them and your guests from unmeant harm.
• Before the holiday, ask your veterinarian for help if your pets are upset by houseguests. Keep everyone safe!

Coming and Going

• Open doors are a cue for some pets to head for the open spaces - with guests arriving and leaving, there are lots of opportunities for pets to slip out unnoticed.
• Are your pets microchipped? Wearing identification collars and tags? Is all the information on these uptodate with your current phone numbers and address? If a pet does escape, this will make it far more likely that they will be returned to you.

Do You Love Exotics?

• While your scaly, feathered, or finned friends may be perfect for you, many folks aren't comfortable with the unfurred. These special creatures can also be more easily stressed by holiday festivities. Keep guests and exotics away from each other.
  

Know Pet First Aid

• It's not a substitute for a vet's care but knowing pet-specific first aid may save your animal's life until you can get to a veterinarian.
• Have your pet first aid kit handy and know what's in it and how to use your supplies. If you're traveling with your pets, keep a simpler, travel-sized version of the kit in your car with your vet's and the ASPCA national animal poison control hotline numbers in your contacts.

ASPCA Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) or the Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) are valuable resources for suspected problems.

Know if Your Pet is in Trouble

• Sudden behavior changes
• Depression
• Discomfort or pain
• Vomiting
• With or without diarrhea 

As professional pet sitters, all of the above isimportant information to share with our clients, whether or notwe'llbe caring for their pets over the holiday. You can share this blog post,or even more information from NAPPS' Certification Program and previously published posts.  

Holly Holmes

Owner, Pets at Home - Where They're Happiest!