As you start preparing holiday food and guests begin arriving to visit, you should be more aware than ever before of which human foods are and are not safe for pets. Your guests, especially if they’re young children, might be tempted to feed your pets from the table. But many human foods are toxic to pets and can make them very ill–or worse.
These Foods Are Safe for Pets
The following foods are safe to be fed to your pets in small amounts. Be sure that you’re not including any extra ingredients or dressings, including butter, oil, salt, vinegar, etc.
● Pumpkin and sweet potatoes – canned or fresh pumpkin and sweet potatoes are fine for your pets. Make sure they have no added ingredients–steer clear of canned pumpkin pie mix. Don’t add in nuts, raisins, sugar, butter, oil, salt, marshmallows, etc.
● Cooked meat – cooked, lean meats are fine for pets in small amounts. Remove skin and excess fat and do not give your pets the bones.
● Eggs – as long as your pet doesn’t have an egg allergy, eggs are fine. You can mix eggs with vegetables like peas or green beans as a special treat.
● Peanut butter – peanut butter is fine in small amounts. Choose an all-natural peanut butter with no added sugar or salt, and make sure it doesn’t contain any artificial sweeteners like Xylitol.
Never Feed Your Pets These Foods
These foods are never safe for your pet, and can cause diarrhea, vomiting, gastrointestinal distress, seizures, brain damage, coma, or death:
● Alcohol
● Artificial sweeteners like Xylitol
● Raw meat
● Meat bones
● Onions & garlic
● Raisins, grapes, nuts, avocados, & olives
● Oil, butter, and fat
● Chocolate
If you think your pet has food poisoning or if he is vomiting or having diarrhea, contact your veterinarian immediately for care.