Tips for a Safe Thanksgiving with Your Pet

As we gather to celebrate the holidays, Dr. Kenneth Drobatz, Chief of the Emergency Service at Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital, offers the following tips to keep your pets healthy and out of the emergency room this Thanksgiving:

Festive foods

• Maintain your pet’s regular diet. Treats of turkey, ham, gravy, cookies, and other goodies can lead to gastrointestinal upsets like diarrhea and vomiting.
• Dispose of all bones carefully so that pets cannot get to them. Poultry bones are particularly dangerous, as they can splinter and cut the intestines or get lodged in your pet’s esophagus.
• Guilty pleasures for humans, like chocolate and alcohol, can be toxic to pets. Keep chocolate, nuts, and alcoholic beverages out-of-reach from your pets, as they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, or a condition called pancreatitis, which can be deadly. Grapes and raisins can be toxic to pets, as well.
• Be sure that everyone in your family knows and understands what your pets can and cannot consume.
• If you wish to celebrate Thanksgiving with your pet, consider an appropriate Thanksgiving dinner by Merrick like, “Turducken,” “Grammy’s Pot Pie,” or “Thanksgiving Day Dinner.” Find these and other delicious treats at Braxton’s Animal Works.
• Want to make something homemade for your pet, check out these special Thanksgiving recipes for dogs and cats by clicking here.

In case of an emergency
As with any potential emergency, immediate attention from your veterinarian is imperative. Penn Vet’s Emergency Service is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The Emergency Service is staffed by an integrated team of board-certified specialists who attend to each patient’s emergency and critical care needs. Call 215-746-8911 or visit Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital at 3900 Spruce Street.