Holiday Safety Tips

While we’re enjoying luscious holiday meals with family, it’s not worth letting your dog indulge too. Learn holiday food pet safety tips before guests arrive.

Toxic Foods

We’re all aware that chocolate, onions, xylitol (artificial sweetener) and grapes are toxic for dogs, but so are fatty foods! We’re indulging, so why can’t dogs partake in the enjoyment too? Fatty foods can cause painful and deadly pancreatitis, meaning fatty foods cause inflammation of the pancreas. Fatty foods include gravy, buttered veggies, desserts, dark meat turkey, ham (even the bone!), casseroles (even a spoonful), buttered rolls and so on.

But can they have a little bit?

What is a “little bit”? It depends on your dog, and this is probably not the time to experiment. When I worked as a vet tech, a sweet Chihuahua passed away from pancreatitis after eating one slice of veggie pizza.

Instead of sneaking tidbits under the table, give your dog a holiday stuffed Kong in his crate. He’ll happily munch along with everyone else and remain safe at the same time.

Pumpkin Spice Food Stuffing

1 can of 100% pumpkin (not pie filling, way too much sugar and other stuff)
2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Will fill 2 medium Kongs or 1 large Kong

In a medium bowl, add pumpkin and cinnamon. Drizzle molasses over mixture and stir slightly. Using a butter knife, push ingredients into toy until completely filled. To avoid pumpkin mixture from oozing out, cover holes with peanut butter.

If your dog empties his food stuffed toys easily, freeze for 4 hours.

Filling variations:

Add ½ coarsely chopped apples at the bottom of the Kong and spoon Bark-kin Spice Filling until filled.
Substitute canned yams in place of pumpkin.
Use 100% maple syrup instead of blackstrap molasses.
Add chunks of baked turkey or chicken at the bottom and spoon Bark-in Spice Filling until filled.

Prevention

• Before guest arrive, ask them to not feed the dogs, not even a tidbit. Some people don’t know and fall for those pitiful begging eyes.

• Discard scrapes (turkey carcass, ham bones, etc.) in a trash can outside, placed outside of your dog’s fenced-in yard. Make sure your dog can not knock over the trash can, as this is a common “holiday scavenger meal,” which sends many dogs to the ER.

• It’s worth repeating: Confine your dog away from the holiday table with a wonderful food stuffed Kong. I promise he’s having fun too!

Medicine for Stomach Pain

If your dog ate something poisonous:

• Contact the Poison Control Hotline ASAP at (888) 426-4435 while rushing your dog to the nearest veterinary emergency center.
• If you’re traveling, I highly recommend downloading a Pet First Aid app, which locates a vet hospital closest to you.

If it’s a minor upset tummy, meaning your dog is eating, drinking and acting normal, but has loose stool, then feed a bland diet for a few days.

Bland Diet

Baked boneless chicken breast (skin removed)
Canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling because this has way too much sugar and other stuff)

Mix equal parts. Once your dog feels better, feed 75% bland diet to 25% regular diet. Slowly add more of your dog’s regular diet to the bland diet. It usually takes 7 days to fully transition him over. If your dog worsens, refuses to eat, vomits or diarrhea worsens, get to your vet ASAP.

Happy Holidays!