What Holiday Foods are Toxic for Pets? Thanksgiving and Christmas are almost here, and that means we are going to celebrate with delicious dishes that can be tempting to share with our furry friends. Here you’ll find 11 foods bad for cats and dogs.
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While some food, like meat without skin, bones, and, stuffing is ok to feed our pets, there are some foods and drinks that can be toxic.
Find out what holiday foods are toxic for your pets.
11 Holiday Foods Toxic for Pets
Alcohol
Even small amounts of alcohol can be poisonous for pets. Signs of intoxication can include:
- Vomiting
- Disorientation
- Restlessness
- Excessive panting
- Muscles tremors
- Seizures
Keep an eye out for drinks on low coffee tables.
Chocolate and chocolate desserts
Chocolate contains theobromines and caffeine; both are toxic for cats and dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is. If your pet ingests chocolate or a chocolate dessert, call your veterinarian immediately.
Be sure to keep your chocolate in a place safe from pets.
Grapes and raisins
Ingesting small amounts of grapes or raisins can cause severe and irreversible fatal and potentially deadly kidney failure.
Keep any desserts, salad, or fruit basket that contain this fruit away from your cat and dog.
Ham
Ham and pork products can cause pancreatitis, upset stomach, and diarrhea.
Macadamia nuts and other nuts
Macadamia nuts and pistachios can cause pancreatitis and contain an unknown toxin that can cause neurological symptoms.
Pets can’t digest almonds, walnuts, and pecans. Choose other safe snacks for your pets.
Mashed potatoes
While potatoes are safe for pets to eat, mashed potatoes contain other ingredients, like milk and butter, that can cause stomach upset in pets.
Onion, garlic, leeks, scallions
Eating a small amount of onion can cause severe effects. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and lethargy.
Spicy foods
Spicy foods can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, and stomach upset.
Turkey bones and turkey skin
Bones can cause severe indigestion in pets, potentially causing vomiting and bowel obstruction. Also, if your pet eats them, they can splinter and puncture his stomach or intestines. To prevent any accident, dispose of the carcass once you carved the turkey.
Turkey´s skin is high in fat and can have spices, butter, oils, and other foods that are difficult for pets to digest.
Xylitol
Xylitol is a sugar substitute highly toxic and deadly to dogs. Cupcakes, cookies, gums, and mints can have xylitol, be careful all year with foods containing this sugar substitute.
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