Safe Thanksgiving Meals For Your Dog
It is fun to share special dinners with our dogs even if it is the left overs, but too much of a good thing can send them to the waiting room of the vets office with diarrhea and vomiting. Some human foods can even be death traps for our pups especially when they are unaccustomed to them. So we want to help you find a way that you can safely treat your dog to his own Thanksgiving meal. Please keep in mind that poultry cooked with onion and garlic can retain toxins from the onion in the skin! It is best to keep all foods cooked with onion and garlic, including gravy, away from you dog’s plate.
Also, keep in mind that if your dog is on a kibble only diet that these foods are high in fats and other nutrients your dog’s system is not accustomed to. Keep servings small to avoid sending your dog’s digestive system into over drive and both of you to the vet’s office. Veterinarian offices are the busiest on Thanksgiving and Easter. They’ll be treating dogs who’ve been given bones and cut their mouths or get caught (intestinal problems could take a few days to show up), or overfed and are vomiting, or in one case, ate the foil that covered the turkey during baking. Don’t be one of those numbered.
Doggie Thanksgiving Ideas
Pumpkin Treats
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons dry milk
- 2 1/2 cups flour (wheat is probably better!)
- water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend eggs and pumpkin together; add salt, dry milk, and flour. Add water as needed to make the dough somewhat workable. The dough should be dry and stiff, don’t be concerned with crumbs being left in the bowl. You will need to mix this with your hands because it is too stiff for an electric mixer. Roll to 1/2-inch thick. Cut into shapes. Place 1″ apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes on one side, then turn over and bake another 20 minutes.
Turkey Dinner Delight
Ingredients:
- Leftover turkey
- potatoes
- squash
- cranberry sauce
- any other vegetables
Directions:
Mix together all of the above, and drizzle lightly with a tablespoon or two of gravy. Don’t give your dog more than one serving (approximately how much he’d eat anyway). Make certain there are no bones in the meat. Remember, while hot food tastes great to humans, dogs’ aren’t used to it. Let his food cool thoroughly.
Bark-Va-Lous Dish
1/2 lb. shredded turkey (use a fork to make it stringy, or use a blender)
1 1/2 T. vegetable oil, divided
4 C. uncooked white rice
1 C. peeled and sliced cooked sweet potato
1 C. diced cooked green beans
1 carrot, diced
Directions:
Brown the ground chicken in a pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Drain. Steam the rice according to instructions on the package. Saute the sweet potato, green beans and carrots in 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Combine the chicken, cooked rice, sweet potato, green beans and carrots; mix thoroughly. Serve when cooled.