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9 Foods Dogs Should & Shouldn’t Eat on Thanksgiving: Vet-Approved Options

Kristin Hitchcock

By Kristin Hitchcock

dog looking at a roasted turkey on the countertop

Vet approved

Dr. Lorna Whittemore Photo

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Lorna Whittemore

MRCVS (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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Thanksgiving is a time of feasting and sharing. However, we should not share everything with our dogs. Many Thanksgiving foods that are completely safe for us to eat are not safe for our dogs. Thanksgiving tends to lead to an increase in vet visits for this reason. Any change in diet from their usual can cause an upset stomach for your dog so keep this in mind before serving up a full roast dinner!

Even if you aren’t planning on sharing food with your dog, we recommend learning what foods on your table may be toxic to your dog during this holiday season (and which ones are safe). After all, you never know when your dog will steal the turkey!

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The 4 Foods Dogs Can Eat

1. Sweet Potatoes

sweet potatoes
Image Credit: Beverly Buckley, Pixabay

Plain sweet potatoes are a great option if you’re looking for something to share with your dog. Many dogs like them because of their subtly sweet flavor. Plus, they are high in many vitamins and fiber, which can help your pet stay healthy.

You can create your own treats for Thanksgiving, or you could just feed them plain, cooked sweet potato. Be sure not to season the potato with anything. After all, many seasonings are toxic to dogs.


2. Turkey

Cooked turkey is completely fine for dogs. In fact, many dogs prefer meat over other foods, so this may be exactly what your canine is looking for. However, be sure not to give your dog turkey skin or bone. Bones that have been cooked are extremely brittle. Plus, poultry bones are too brittle for dogs, anyway. Therefore, to avoid an expensive vet visit, keep these bones far away from your dog.

Seasonings should also be avoided. Plain-cooked turkey meat is fine to give as a treat.


3. Pumpkin

sliced pumpkin on a table
Image Credit: Steve Buissinne, Pixabay

Many dogs love pumpkin, and it is very good for them. Pumpkin is included in many dog foods because it is a fairly healthy snack. Furthermore, it can help eliminate some digestive issues, which can be a problem for many canines out there.

If you’re giving your dog canned pumpkin, be sure to read the ingredient list. Many canned pumpkin products have added sugar and other ingredients. You want only pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix.


4. Apples

If you’re making any apple-based desserts, you may want to set some apples aside for your dog. These healthy snacks are great for dogs. Many dogs love to play with apples like balls, and their slightly sweet flavor is often satisfying.

However, be sure not to let your dog eat the core of the apple. Apple seeds contain cyanide, which makes them toxic to dogs in high amounts.

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The 5 Foods Dogs Can’t Eat

1. Bones

raw chicken bones
Image Credit: David Tadevosian, Shutterstock

While turkey and other meats are completely fine as a treat, you should avoid bones. Cooked bones are particularly harmful to dogs, as they splinter more easily. These splinters can pierce your dog’s digestive tract, resulting in expensive surgeries and vet bills.

Poultry bones should be avoided even if they are uncooked, as they are also very likely to splinter. While dogs stereotypically love bones, turkey bones are not the ones you should be sharing.


2. Casseroles

We recommend avoiding casseroles altogether. Theoretically, there are likely some casseroles out there that are completely fine for your dog. However, these dishes contain many ingredients and seasonings and it can be difficult to determine if they are safe for your dog or not. It’s easy for something unsafe to slip in.

Therefore, we only recommend feeding your dog single-ingredient items.


3. Onions and Garlic

onion and garlic_monicore_Pixabay
Image Credit: monicore, Pixabay

Onions and garlic are both toxic to dogs. Technically, they are also toxic to humans. However, we would have to eat a lot of onions to develop any symptoms. On the other hand, dogs are much more sensitive to the toxic effects. Therefore, it’s easy for dogs to overeat onions when given human food.

Because onions and garlic are common ingredients in many dishes, you must be very careful when giving the dog food you did not cook.


4. Chocolate and other Sweets

It is best to avoid sweets altogether when feeding your dog. While sugar isn’t a good idea for any dog, there are several other reasons sweets should be avoided. For instance, many sweets contain chocolate, which is extremely toxic to dogs. Sugar-free foods are particularly toxic, as many of them contain xylitol. This ingredient is very toxic to dogs and can cause very low blood sugar levels and liver failure very quickly.

Therefore, because so many common sweet ingredients are toxic, it is best to avoid sweets altogether.


5. Grapes

grapes
Image By: Jill Wellington, Pixabay

Grapes are extremely toxic to dogs. In fact, they are one of the most toxic foods on this list. Grapes can cause stomach upset and kidney failure in dogs in relatively small amounts. Therefore, any amount of grapes should be avoided altogether.

Raisins are also toxic to dogs. Because they are dehydrated, they are actually more toxic than grapes by the ounce. Any grape product should be avoided.

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Conclusion

We highly recommend that you memorize the above list of what your dog shouldn’t eat. Onions and garlic are particularly troublesome, as they are commonly used as seasonings. It’s easy to give your dog meat that is believed to be safe, only to find out later that it is actually seasoned. Therefore, we only recommend giving your dog any scrapes that you cooked yourself.

If you want to share something with your dog on thanksgiving, plain meat is your best option. Be sure that it is unseasoned. If the whole turkey was seasoned, be sure to avoid the skin, as this is where most of the seasonings will be.

You can also feed them sweet potatoes and apples. However, be sure these are provided plain and without any seasonings and in small portions. Any change in diet from usual can result in an upset tummy for your dog.

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Featured Image Credit: GoodFocused, Shutterstock

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