Thanksgiving brings families together around tables piled high with delicious dishes. Those hopeful brown eyes staring up at you from beneath the table make it incredibly tempting to sneak your furry friend a little treat. Yet here’s the thing – what tastes amazing to us can be downright dangerous for dogs. Many foods humans eat on Thanksgiving are dangerous to dogs; even a small bite can make them sick or cause serious, potentially fatal harm.
Thanksgiving coincides with an uptick in emergency vet visits across the U.S. because of the extra, often unsafe “human” food that dogs end up consuming at this time of year. So before you let those puppy dog eyes convince you otherwise, let’s dive into which holiday favorites should stay far away from your pup’s bowl.
1. Turkey Skin and Dark Meat
Sure, plain white turkey meat might be fine in small amounts, but the crispy, golden skin everyone fights over? That’s a hard no for your dog. Skin itself can be fatty, and the outer layer of the turkey’s skin was likely slathered in butter or oil before cooking, all of which can add up to triggering a bout of painful and dangerous pancreatitis or other digestive issues for your dog.
Dark meat carries similar risks because of its higher fat content. Think of it like this – while you might digest that extra helping just fine, your dog’s digestive system isn’t built for those rich, fatty foods. Honestly, plain turkey breast is much safer if you really want to share.
2. Stuffing and Dressing
This savory side dish is practically synonymous with Thanksgiving. The problem? Nearly every stuffing recipe contains ingredients that spell trouble for dogs. Onions, garlic and other allium plants are toxic to dogs and cats, especially in concentrated forms like garlic powder and onion powder. Alliums contain compounds called thiosulfates that can damage red blood cells and cause hemolytic anemia.
Even small amounts can be harmful. Your grandmother’s famous herb stuffing might taste incredible, but those aromatic additions make it completely off-limits for your four-legged companion. Keep the stuffing on your plate where it belongs.
3. Gravy and Rich Sauces
That velvety gravy you’re drowning your mashed potatoes in? It’s loaded with things dogs shouldn’t have. Rich foods including fatty ham, turkey skin, gravy, creamy casseroles and anything loaded with butter can cause gastrointestinal issues like vomiting and diarrhea in dogs and cats. Most gravies also contain onion or garlic for flavoring, which we already know are toxic to dogs.
The high fat and salt content alone can trigger serious digestive problems. In extreme cases, rich foods can cause pancreatitis, which is inflammation of a gland in the belly that produces digestive enzymes. I know it sounds dramatic, but trust me, a trip to the emergency vet isn’t how anyone wants to spend their holiday weekend.
4. Ham
Many families serve ham alongside turkey, making it doubly tempting to slip your dog a piece. Ham is too fatty and salty for dogs and can cause stomach upset, dehydration, or pancreatitis. The salt content in ham is particularly concerning because it can lead to excessive thirst and even sodium poisoning in severe cases.
Sure, your dog would probably gobble it down happily. They’d also eat a shoe if given half a chance. Just because they want something doesn’t mean it’s good for them, right?
5. Casseroles and Creamy Dishes
Green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, creamy mashed potatoes – these comfort foods are Thanksgiving staples. Yet they’re also packed with butter, cream, cheese, and often those sneaky onions again. Any fatty food or casserole risks triggering pancreatitis or other digestive upsets.
Plain vegetables are generally fine for dogs, but once you add all those rich ingredients, you’ve created a recipe for disaster. The added sugars in sweet potato casserole are especially problematic. Let’s be real – those marshmallow-topped casseroles are basically dessert pretending to be a side dish anyway.
6. Bones (Cooked or Raw)
Here’s where things get really dangerous. Bones can break teeth, and once bones break inside a pet’s mouth, they become that much more dangerous in the esophagus and intestines. Fox treats many pets who have had bones become lodged in the esophagus, leading to obstructions, an “extremely serious” medical issue that requires specialty care, she says.
Cooked turkey bones are particularly brittle and can splinter easily, creating sharp edges that can puncture your dog’s digestive tract. Raw bones aren’t much better despite what some people claim. The whole “give a dog a bone” thing? Outdated advice that can land your pet in the emergency room.
7. Grapes and Raisins
These often appear in salads, desserts, or as simple table decorations during Thanksgiving. Raisins, grapes and currants can cause acute kidney injuries that can be fatal in pets. The scary part is that veterinarians still don’t fully understand exactly what makes them toxic or how much it takes to cause problems.
Some dogs might eat a few and seem fine, while others can develop serious kidney failure from just a small amount. It’s hard to say for sure, but why take that risk? Keep anything containing grapes or raisins well away from your dog.
8. Chocolate and Desserts
Most pet owners know chocolate is dangerous, but it bears repeating during dessert-heavy holidays. Chocolate is toxic to pets and can cause serious illness, including pancreatitis and even death. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it becomes for your pup.
The sugar, spices, and ingredients like nutmeg can cause digestive upset or toxicity. Pies, cookies, and other sweets also frequently contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that’s extremely dangerous to dogs. Some artificial sweeteners, including xylitol, can cause liver disease and hypoglycemia in pets.
9. Raw or Unbaked Dough
If you’re baking fresh rolls or bread for Thanksgiving, keep that rising dough far from curious noses. Raw dough is toxic to pets because its yeast proliferates in the belly. The warm, moist environment of a dog’s stomach provides perfect conditions for the yeast to expand and ferment.
This expansion can cause painful bloating and the fermentation process actually produces alcohol, leading to alcohol poisoning. It sounds like something out of a weird science experiment, but it’s genuinely dangerous. Fully baked bread isn’t ideal either due to carbs and calories, but raw dough is the real villain here.
10. Nuts (Especially Macadamia Nuts)
That bowl of mixed nuts sitting on the coffee table? Keep it out of paw’s reach. Nuts, including almonds, pecans and walnuts, can also be dangerous foods for dogs. They contain high amounts of oils and fats, which can cause: digestive upset and potential pancreatitis.
Macadamia nuts are particularly toxic. When ingested by dogs even in small amounts, consumption of Macademia nuts can cause: … Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and can last approximately 12-48 hours. Symptoms include weakness, vomiting, tremors, and hyperthermia. Pecan pie gets a double whammy of danger from both the nuts and the sugar.
Conclusion
Keeping your dog safe during Thanksgiving doesn’t mean they need to miss out on the festivities entirely. You can set aside small portions of plain, cooked turkey breast, green beans without any butter, or plain sweet potato before you add all the holiday fixings. Some pet stores even sell special Thanksgiving-themed dog treats so your furry friend can have their own celebration.
The key is planning ahead and making sure all your guests know the rules. Kids especially might not realize the danger and could slip forbidden foods under the table. A little vigilance now prevents heartbreak and expensive vet bills later.
What would you give your dog this Thanksgiving? Share your safe treat ideas in the comments below!
Andrew Alpin from India is the Brand Manager of Doggo digest. Andrew is an experienced content specialist and social media manager with a passion for writing. His forte includes health and wellness, Travel, Animals, and Nature. A nature nomad, Andrew is obsessed with mountains and loves high-altitude trekking. He has been on several Himalayan treks in India including the Everest Base Camp in Nepal.
