Holidays with our Pets
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- By Louise's Pet Connection
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The time has come for the air to be filled with the sweet delicious scents of holiday recipes. Your home will be full of extended family members and people constantly in and out of the kitchen. Your pets will be naturally curious of course, especially if any ingredients make their way to the floor.
The time has come for the air to be filled with the sweet delicious scents of holiday recipes. Your home will be full of extended family members and people constantly in and out of the kitchen. Your pets will be naturally curious of course, especially if any ingredients make their way to the floor. Dozens of tasty foods await and some holiday favorites can be yummy and nutritious for your pets too. However not all from the feast are pet-friendly. Here are a few safe for all and others better left to the humans.
Apple pie, green bean casserole, warm maple glazed ham, no matter where you look, scrumptious dishes are everywhere. Many of these meals are made up with ingredients ripe for your pets belly. Pumpkin is one ingredient most are already familiar with and its numerous benefits. While it's best to leave the pie for those two legged humans, pumpkins are a wonderful source of fiber and great for your pets digestive tract. Whether it's the holidays or not, pets are always excited to have some thrown into their food. Those green beans you’re saving for casseroles are also safe for your pets and are a good source of potassium and iron. If you can snag a few bananas from your grandma's banana bread recipe your pets will thank you as these are also full of vitamins like potassium. A few carrots missing from your salads won’t ring any alarm bells and they can be a great source of vitamins while having the side benefit of helping clean your pet's teeth. While perusing your veggie options give your pet a handful of broccoli as it can be especially good for them. Broccoli is bursting with nutrients and full of Vitamins A, C, B, E and K while it's also rich in phytonutrients it’s an excellent antioxidant, immune booster and anti-inflammatory. It’s also fantastic in keeping your pet's anals glands functioning properly. Cranberries either raw or cooked are superb for both dogs and cats. These berries are loaded with healthy antioxidants and other vitamins that can help support the immune system and keep your pets urinary tract system healthy. Just keep your cranberry sauce away from these whiskered faces. Yes, salad is an important part of everyone's diet but those leafy greens like kale and spinach are just as important to your pets dietary needs. These greens are a good source of omegas, fatty acids, iron, and beta-carotene. It really should go without saying but hand over a slice or two of that mouth watering ham your pets have been salivating over for hours just a bite won’t hurt. But keep any and all cooked bones far away from your pets mouths as these bones are especially fragile and brittle. Fragments of these bones can break off and get lodged in your dog’s intestines or throat. So remember if you’d like to give your pet a bone to gnaw on stick to the ones meant for them
Of course we can’t have the good without the bad and these ingredients have certainly made the naughty list where your pets are concerned. While some of these might only cause mild issues for your pets others can cause serious issues. Many of your favorite holiday dishes might include onions or scallions, Both are known as alliums and are poisonous to your pets. Dessert is a must for everyone but many ingredients used aren’t safe for our animals. Chocolate of course is the most well known and is toxic for both dogs and cats. We all have that one family member that insists on making a fruitcake to the horror of everyone. But some of its ingredients like Grapes and raisins are bad for your pets and while we don’t know what exactly about them is the problem, large quantities can lead to issues like sudden kidney failure and toxicity. Your sugar substitutes are also important to ensure they don't spill during the baking. Xylitol is highly toxic and best left out of pets' reach. Some of your favorite after dinner beverages like coffee or alcohol are incredibly dangerous to pets and can lead to organ failure so keep a close eye on your mugs. It can be a difficult task entertaining guests, whipping up recipes and keeping an eye on your pets. But the holidays will pass and you’ll be proud of how well you and your pets made it through.
This time a year is a celebration for your taste buds and now for your pets too. A few table scraps here and there might spoil your pet but it certainly isn’t a bad thing. It’s also important to note that any and all of these treats are fine for your pets to indulge in but like for us when the eggnog comes out it's important to remember moderation. Partaking in the enjoyment of a few holiday favorites while avoiding others will certainly make your pets holiday merry and bright.
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