Thanksgiving Food Safety for Pets
Holiday meals can expose dogs and cats to toxic ingredients, fatty leftovers, bones, and trash hazards. Here’s how to prevent problems, recognize warning signs, and know when to call your vet.
When to call a vet
Go to the ER now
- ● Call an emergency vet right away if your pet ate xylitol, chocolate, grapes, raisins, cooked bones, or a large amount of onions or garlic.
- ● Seek immediate care for collapse, seizures, trouble breathing, repeated vomiting, severe lethargy, pale gums, a swollen or painful abdomen, or unproductive retching.
- ● Go to an emergency clinic if your pet may have swallowed string, skewers, foil, plastic wrap, corn cobs, or turkey bones from the trash.
See a vet within 24 hours
- ● Call your vet the same day for vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, decreased appetite, trembling, restlessness, or weakness after getting into holiday food.
- ● Contact your vet promptly if your pet ate fatty turkey skin, gravy, drippings, or rich leftovers, since these can trigger pancreatitis or serious stomach upset.
- ● Call your vet if your cat or dog ate food containing onion, garlic, chives, grapes, raisins, or sugar-free ingredients and you are not sure how much was consumed.
Watch at home, call if it worsens
- ● You may be able to monitor at home only if your pet ate a tiny amount of a non-toxic, unseasoned food and is acting completely normal.
- ● Offer only their regular diet and fresh water unless your veterinarian advises otherwise.
- ● If any vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, weakness, or behavior change develops, call your vet.
Top Dangers This Season
Turkey bones and carcasses
Cooked bones can splinter, choke pets, or cause stomach and intestinal injury or blockage.
Onions, garlic, chives, and leeks
Common in stuffing, casseroles, gravies, and seasoning blends, these ingredients can damage red blood cells and cause anemia.
Grapes and raisins
Found in stuffing, salads, and desserts, these are especially dangerous for dogs because they can cause acute kidney injury.
Chocolate and desserts
Chocolate can cause vomiting, restlessness, tremors, and seizures, while many desserts also contain other unsafe ingredients.
Xylitol in sugar-free foods
Some sugar-free baked goods, candies, gum, and peanut butter may contain xylitol, which can rapidly cause dangerous low blood sugar in dogs.
Fatty scraps and gravy
Turkey skin, drippings, butter, and rich leftovers can trigger vomiting, diarrhea, or pancreatitis in dogs and cats.
How to Keep Your Pet Safe
Feed your pet their normal meal before guests arrive so they are less likely to beg or scavenge. Keep the kitchen, buffet, and trash secured, and clear plates promptly. Do not share bones, turkey skin, gravy, stuffing, casseroles, desserts, or any dish seasoned with onion or garlic. Remind guests not to slip table scraps under the table. If you want to offer a holiday treat, stick to a small amount of plain, fully cooked, boneless, skinless, unseasoned turkey only if your veterinarian says it is appropriate for your pet. Set up a quiet room for pets who become stressed by visitors, noise, or open doors, and make sure identification tags and microchip information are current in case a pet slips outside.
What to Do If Something Goes Wrong
If your pet gets into Thanksgiving food, remove access to the item and packaging, save the label or recipe if possible, and call your veterinarian right away. Be ready to share what your pet ate, the estimated amount, and when it happened. If your pet may have eaten a toxin such as xylitol, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, or chocolate, or swallowed bones or trash, do not wait for symptoms to start. Do not give home remedies or try to make your pet vomit unless a veterinarian specifically tells you to. If your pet is vomiting repeatedly, seems weak, has abdominal pain, has pale gums, tremors, trouble breathing, or collapses, go to the nearest emergency animal hospital immediately.
Thanksgiving Food Safety FAQ
Can pets eat Thanksgiving turkey?
Why are turkey bones dangerous for pets?
What Thanksgiving ingredients are toxic to dogs and cats?
What symptoms can happen after a pet eats unsafe holiday food?
Should I wait to see if my pet gets sick?
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute veterinary medical advice. Reading this content does not establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Every pet is different — always consult a licensed veterinarian before making decisions about your pet's health, diet, or care. If you'd like personalized guidance, you can talk to one of our vets. If your pet is experiencing a medical emergency, contact your local emergency animal hospital immediately.