SOCIALIFE
PET LIFE
KEEPING YOUR DOG SAFE AND HAPPY THIS THANKSGIVING By Dr. Ruben Castro
Now that Halloween is behind us, it is time to focus on the Thanksgiving holiday. If you are lucky enough to have the entire Thanksgiving week off, that is one thing to be thankful for! We are right in the middle of the NFL season, and I know many people are looking forward to catching up with relatives, eating great food, and watching football on Thanksgiving Day. We must be aware of all the dangerous food we eat that could be hazardous to our dogs. Unfortunately, some people intentionally feed their dogs their Thanksgiving Day table scraps, not knowing that they are putting their dogs at risk of getting sick or, at worst, unintentionally causing them to die.
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No turkey bones! Where there is a turkey, there are turkey bones. Turkey bones can cause damage to your dog’s digestive tract. According to Kings Crossing Animal Hospital, a dog eating a turkey bone can irritate their digestive tract, which causes them to vomit and/or have diarrhea, leading to dehydration.
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Avoid fatty foods. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), foods such as ham, sausage, turkey skin, and gravy tend to be fatty, which can cause pancreatitis in dogs. If you see the skin on meat, giving to your dog is not good.
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The AKC also says to ensure your dog does not ingest any sweet foods containing the ingredient xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol found in plants. It is extremely toxic for dogs and is commonly found in sweet foods such as many holiday desserts.
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Some holiday desserts may contain raisins or grapes, which do not contain xylitol but are very toxic for dogs. Be very careful when handling these foods because they roll when they fall and can be difficult to locate and pick up.
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The AKC and the American Kennel Society recommend the following Thanksgiving foods that are safe for your dog to eat in moderation: • Turkey meat – just ensure the meat has no seasonings • Potatoes – sweet potatoes are a great source of dietary fiber &vitamins • Green beans – plain green beans are full of vitamins and fiber • Apples – a great source of fiber & vitamins; just make sure to remove the skin! • Pumpkin – make sure you feed your dog raw pumpkin (no spices, just plain)
Spending the holidays with family and our dogs can be just what the doctor ordered. All we must do is exercise a little common sense and reasoning, and our dogs will be around for many Thanksgiving meals to come. I wish everyone and their dog a happy and safe Thanksgiving Day!
Dr. Castro is a proud Catholic who is a husband, father, and educator born and raised in the RGV. He is a graduate of Northcentral University with a doctorate in Education with a specialization in Educational Leadership. He also holds a Master of Science in Sociology from the University of Texas-Pan American and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, with a minor in Psychology from the University of Texas-Pan American. Dr. Castro’s current research focuses on Education, Crime and Deviance, and Race and Ethnicity. He is also the owner of the K&B Dog Learning Cener, Inc. www.kbdoglearningcenter.com
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