What Can Dogs Eat (and Not Eat) on Thanksgiving?

November 20, 2017

Looking to include your dog in your Thanksgiving feast? Use our dog-friendly Thanksgiving guide as a reminder of which foods are safe for your four-legged companion and which are unhealthy (or even toxic).

Safe, Healthy & Delicious

Turkey
Fully-cooked, plain turkey meat is a fantastic source of lean protein for pups. It’s also a great source of iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium and B vitamins. Avoid turkey skin which is often seasoned with toxic alliums (onions, scallions, leeks and garlic).

Baked or Boiled Potatoes
Plain potatoes are fine in moderation so long as they are baked or boiled. Potatoes are a common ingredient in dried dog foods and are rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron and magnesium.

Broccoli / Brussel Sprouts
Both broccoli and brussel sprouts are rich in vitamins (A, C) and cancer-fighting phytochemicals. Add these steamed veggies to your dog’s dinner bowl to give him or her a low calorie, nutritional boost.

Green Beans
Plain green beans are high in fiber, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium and are a healthy addition to any dog meal. As always, make sure the green beans were not prepared with any harmful ingredients (i.e. onions, pepper).

Plain Canned Pumpkin
A small amount of canned pumpkin is great for dogs. Not only is plain pumpkin high in fiber (good for diarrhea and constipation), it is also rich in beta-carotene.

Plain Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a healthy source of dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C and beta carotene.

Everything in Moderation

Cranberries / Cranberry Sauce
Raw and dried cranberries are ok for your dog if fed in moderation. Avoid cranberry sauce and juice, however, which may contain raisins (dangerous), currants (dangerous), and sugar (unhealthy). Homemade and store-bought cranberry sauce often contains raisins or currants (very toxic to dogs) and high levels of sugar. Cranberry juice usually contains grape juice (grapes are another huge no for dogs).

Gravy
It depends. Natural juices from fully-cooked turkey can embellish your pup’s dinner and make him drool. Make sure, however, no toxic seasonings were used when preparing and basting the turkey (onions, scallions, and even pepper can harm your dog). Avoid store-bought gravy which often contains a myriad of ingredients that can upset or even harm your pup’s stomach.

Ham
Ham can be a delicious treat, but limit how much you give your pup. Although a good source of iron and B vitamins, ham is very high in salt, cholesterol and fat and can contribute to obesity down the road. Too much ham at once could also result in an upset stomach, vomiting or diarrhea.

Keep Your Dog Away from These Thanksgiving Dishes & Ingredients

Candied Sweet Potatoes and/or Sweet Potato Pie
Avoid candied sweet potatoes and sweet potato pie. These are high in sugar and may contain toxins including nutmeg. If ingested in large amounts, nutmeg can damage dogs’ central nervous systems and cause tremors, seizures and even death.

Cooked Bones
Never feed any cooked bones - turkey, ham, chicken, or fish - to your pets as these very easily splinter in their mouths and esophagi

Cranberry Sauce & Cranberry Juice
Homemade and store-bought cranberry sauce often contains raisins or currants (very toxic to dogs) and high levels of sugar. Cranberry juice usually contains grape juice (grapes are another huge no for dogs).

Mashed Potatoes
While plain baked potatoes are not harmful for dogs, mashed potatoes usually contain butter, cream, salt, garlic and chives (part of the onion family and very toxic to dogs).

Pumpkin Pie
Stay away from pumpkin pie which usually contains nutmeg (toxic to dogs if ingested in large amounts), cream and sugar.

Stuffing
Stuffing is a cornucopia of potentially dog-toxic ingredients. Onions, scallions and peppers are commonly used in stuffing, so best to completely avoid sharing this side dish with Fido.

Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Don't hesitate to leave a comment below.

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