Are Table Scraps Bad For My Dog?
The holidays are typically the time for sharing and more importantly, caring. When it comes to sharing food from the delicious holiday spread, you may want to think twice about passing scraps to your pet. It can be especially tempting to offer tasty table treats to your pet, but the leftovers could have a serious impact on your pet’s health. Below are some of the dangers of feeding your pet table scraps and why puppy dog eyes aren't always an excuse.
What Can Happen to a Dog That Eats Table Scraps?
It’s hard to resist the temptation of giving your dog a table scrap when they stare deep into your eyes with the sweetest look, but you must be strong! What is good for you is not necessarily good for your canines. Human foods often contain ingredients not meant for our four-legged friends that can lead to abdominal pains, sickness, behavioral issues, allergic reactions, or worse. It is important that you watch your pet at dinner parties with unknown guests who might give into puppy-dog-eyes. Be sure to tell guests that scraps are not ok for your pet. Even the most eager of guests will understand that you just want to keep your pet happy and healthy.
Toxic Foods
Human food especially around the holidays are full of ingredients bad for pets, including items like chocolate, onions, raisins, and Xylitol. Although, we love our breads and pasta, starchy foods are a no-go for canines; that means avoiding potatoes as well. Avoid feeding them raw meat or skin from chicken or turkey and other foreign bodies a dog could ingest at the parties including cooked bone from poultry, steak, or pork. The cooking process can dry out the bones, causing them to possibly splinter and get stuck in the digestive tract.
Gastrointestinal upset includes symptoms of stomachaches, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, and lethargy. If your pet is experiencing any of these painful symptoms, make sure to seek veterinary help.
Allergic Reactions
Not all surprises are good and a pet’s surprise allergy to a new food object can immediately lead to an emergency trip to the vet’s office. Pre-packaged human food can often contain small amounts of seasoning not individually listed in the ingredients. It's important to stick to AAFCO regulated foods for pets with approved GRAS (generally recognized as safe) ingredients.
Behavioral Issues
Once you start, it’s hard to stop feeding your beloved pet food from your table. When they see it is possible to get the scraps, they will return with puppy eyes, whimpers, and moans. They love the routine of scraps with your dinner and their expectations for forbidden food will lead to begging and impatience. The behaviors will quickly annoy you and the other guests. To avoid guests or children feeding your dog something they shouldn’t, either make it very clear that they shouldn't feed them at all or tell them to ask you before feeding them anything.
What is OK for Dogs to Eat?
Although feeding your pet human food can lead to negative behaviors and side effects, there are certain holiday foods they can eat if the puppy-dog-eye temptation is too strong. Gift your four-legged friend with lean bits of cooked meats, poultry, or fish. Ensure the samples are without bone or skin, which can be choking hazards for pups. Raw vegetables excluding onions and garlic are ok for pets, try some celery, carrots, or cabbage hearts on your dog’s taste buds. If you feed them cooked vegetables, make sure they are only cooked with butter or salt. For dessert, treat them to raw pumpkin and a little bit of peanut butter.
Most importantly, consult your veterinarian if you are unsure about any dietary changes.
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