Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Every year the same thing happens – you have tons of delicious leftover food to gobble up, even days after Thanksgiving has ended. With so much extra food, it might be tempting to share the love with your pet. You know they’ll be begging. But what about those warnings you’ve read — like how table scraps are never OK to feed your pet? Or how a lot of salt and sugar is bad? Or how fatty foods should be avoided? It’s all true, and although some Thanksgiving food is off limits, there’s also some you can feed your pet safely.
Carrots
Dogs need their dose of veggies, and nothing beats a little bowl of leftover carrots. They’ve got potassium, fiber, and vitamins — all things your dog needs to stay healthy. Hard carrots might sometimes be tough for a dog to take down. Cooked carrots are much easier – and those are usually the type of carrots served on Thanksgiving!
Broccoli
Freshen up your dog’s breath with a little leftover broccoli! The vitamins and fiber found in broccoli can help with your dog’s digestion. Just be sure to only give your dog very small portions of it! Eating a large amount of it can lead to irritated bowels and poisoning.
Mashed Potatoes
Regular mashed potatoes can be a little treat for a dog. Mashed potatoes are rich in nutrients — just be sure to only serve a small portion. Always avoid mashed potatoes with onions, raisins, or any other toxic ingredients. Also avoid adding gravy.
Plain White Turkey
Turkey is a lean, mean, protein machine! The number one food of Thanksgiving is is A-OK to feed your pet! Just make sure you peel off excess skin and fat. Also make sure there are no bones, and ensure that’s it’s cooked thoroughly. Plain, white turkey is the best option.
Cranberry Sauce (From Scratch)
Cranberry sauce that you make from scratch (with fruit) can be nutritious for your dog because it will provide various vitamins. If you’re serving your house guests jellied cranberry sauce, or cranberry sauce from a can, avoid serving it to your dog. It’s high in sugar.
Green Beans
If your dog is putting on a little weight, green beans can help fill your dog up and keep their weight down. Green beans have Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and they’re low in calories.
While these foods are OK to feed your pet, always serve them in moderation — you’ll avoid dealing with your dog bloating, having gas, and other digestive issues. If you don’t think a food is right to feed your dog, it probably isn’t.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Lisa Podwirny is the owner of Ketchum Mfg. Connect with her on Google+!
