Thanksgiving is roughly a month and a few days away. The wonderful day, also known as Turkey Day, is the annual gathering in which we enjoy good food with family. This includes our furry family members as well. And like most holidays, we tend to feel a little extra generous in sharing some of our human food with our dogs. While they might get a few table scraps on Thanksgiving, we still need to be careful not to overindulge them and give them a tummy ache.
But there is always the question, is it safe for our dogs to eat turkey? Yes, so long as the turkey is plain and free from salt, seasonings, butter, onions, and garlic – those all can be bad for your pup’s stomach. And it also should not be fried – that isn’t good for your dog either. For the healthiest treat for your dog, you should give them the “lean” turkey meat. This would be the white meat and make sure the skin is removed along with any excess fat. If you give them lean, skinless turkey you’re giving them a cut that is loaded with protein and nutrients. Plus, you will be their favorite person for the day. Vets caution that you should avoid giving them the fatty parts of the turkey, like the skin or thighs, because fatty foods can often lead to your dog developing pancreatitis, which is a painful condition in which their pancreas becomes inflamed. The symptoms of this condition are characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, and lack of appetite.
If you don’t want to leave your pup out of the holiday festivities and you want to give them a special treat of their own, there is always plain, ground turkey. This alternative option means that you can cook it plain without any seasonings for your dog, and they can still have a nice, yummy Thanksgiving topping to their regular dry food. Alternatively, you can also make them their own special turkey loaf, which a great recipe here on Cesar’s Way. Going that extra step for your dog is a great way to make sure everyone is happy: you can cook your turkey the way your guests like it, while your dog gets a healthy snack that won’t upset their stomach. It’s definitely something to be thankful for.
And you can’t forget about the turkey bones. Even if you have no intention of giving your dog these bones, make sure that you properly dispose of them so that they’re inaccessible to your pooch. Not only are they small enough to pose a choking hazard for your dog, but they can also break apart and end up causing internal damage to your dog’s digestive tract.
