With the holiday season approaching, Salt Lake County Animal Services has published a list of common holiday foods to avoid feeding to animals in order to avoid an emergency visit to the vet.
Here are the foods to avoid:
- Candy: Chocolate contains a substance, theobromine, that can be toxic to pets. Dark, semi-sweet, and Baker’s chocolate can be lethal to pets if ingested.
- Drippings: Fatty leftovers from your meal can cause vomiting and diarrhea in your pets.
- Bones: Do not give your pet bones from leftover holiday birds, they can splinter once ingested and cause internal injuries, even death.
- Stuffing, pudding, relish, pickles, sauces, and anything with onions, grapes, or raisins.
Your pet can eat some holiday foods in moderation BEFORE they’ve been prepared with spices: sweet potatoes, white potatoes, pumpkin (before adding fatty things like cream), cranberries, chard, kale, green beans, and a wee bite of turkey, ham, or other meats.
If you have additional questions, please consult with your veterinarian.