As pet parents, we love sharing special moments with our furry babies, and holidays are not the exception. There are different ways of making our dogs part of our special events, and spoiling them with yummy foods is one of our favorites.
However, the story repeats year after year: the day after thanksgiving, vets get super crowded with sick dogs who had been fed unsafe human foods. That is why, at Mokai, we decided to come up with a safe list of snacks to feed your pup without compromising his health.
What Thanksgiving food can dogs eat?
Thanksgiving is all about love, gratitude, and appreciation. However, thanksgiving dinners are a huge part of the celebration, so if you don’t want to leave your dog out of this special occasion, here are some homemade snacks you can feed your dog to make him part of the feast.
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Sweet Potatoes: Great source of fiber, carbohydrates, vitamin B, C, and beta-carotene. They are a very common for Thanksgiving meals, so all you have to do is cook some extra sweet potatoes for your pup and smash them. Remember not to add any spice, herb, garlic, or onion.
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Turkey: The ultimate Thanksgiving food. Turkey, fed in small amounts, is completely safe for dogs. If you are going to give your pup a snack, make sure to cook it properly, and double-check that it is boneless. Remember that raw meat may cause salmonella, and turkey bones can be harmful to dogs (you can read more in our blog ‘My dog ate chicken bones, what should I do?’
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Fruits and veggies: Feeding your dog fruits and veggies is always a good idea. They are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that power up your pup’s health. However, you should choose your vegetables wisely: some veggies can interfere with your dog’s digestion and cause diarrhea or stomach pain. Some great alternatives include: Apples, banana, mango, carrots, pumpkin, celery, green beans, spinach, cauliflower, etc.
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Bread: Even though is not considered a complete food, as long as you control the frequency and quantity, bread is a perfectly safe snack for dogs. Bear in mind that raw dough can be super harmful to dogs since uncooked yeast and sugar can ferment in your dog’s stomach producing a substance similar to alcohol, causing toxicity when absorbed into his bloodstream.
- Apple with peanut butter: Since dogs can’t eat dessert, chocolate, or cake, we came up with this healthy recipe for you to share with your furry friend. Sliced apple with homemade peanut butter (if you are going to buy it, make sure it doesn’t contain xylitol). Your dog will appreciate it. 😊
What foods should dogs avoid on Thanksgiving?
On the other hand, there are some Thanksgiving foods that can be toxic to dogs:
- Stuffing
- Spiced food
- Turkey bones and skin
- Raisins and grapes
- Onion and garlic
- Ham
- Chocolate and desserts
These foods can cause diarrhea, vomiting, GI distress, and abdominal pain. If your dog accidentally ingests any of them, you should keep an eye on him and take him to the vet for a check-up.
Thanksgiving is about appreciating all the good things in our lives, and taking good care of our pups is the best way of being thankful 😊
