Turkey Day Safety




More safety tips courtesy of Thedoglog.com.

If your dog doesn't handle strangers well, put him in a quiet room with his bed, food and water, and hang a "do not disturb" sign on the door. If your dog will be part of the festivities, feed him ahead of time to minimize begging from guests. It's also helpful to give him a chew toy or rawhide bone in another room right before you sit down to eat.

Well-meaning guests may want to share some of the bounty, so it's best to let everyone know up front not to feed table scraps to him. Our Thanksgiving dishes tend to be very rich and high in sodium, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even pancreatitus which can be fatal. Foods to be particularly cautious of are turkey skin, gravy, dressing, onions, grapes, raisins, and chocolate.

After the meal, make sure to dispose of the leftovers and trash thoroughly. When disposing of trash in outside cans, make sure to weigh down the lids with something heavy so that outside dogs and wild animals can't get into them. Cooked turkey bones, aluminum foil, plastic wrap and wax paper can severely damage an animal's digestive system if swallowed. Even a well-behaved dog will be tempted to get into the great smelling left-overs if given the chance.

Pay special attention if you light candles or have decorative lighting, especially around puppies. And with all the excitement going on, don't forget to give your dog some extra attention so he won't feel neglected and bad behavior arises.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!