“Can I share my holiday meal with my pet?”

Our pets are part of the family and it’s only natural to want to include them with their own special dish.

If your dog or cat hasn’t had food sensitivities in the past, they can enjoy a taste of your holiday meal, but with a few precautions.

NONE of these:

Make sure the food isn’t too spicy or fatty.
Avoid ingredients such as raisins and grapes (can cause kidney failure in dogs), xylitol (artificial sweetener), onions, scallions, leeks or other members of the onion family (which can cause serious health problems).
No chocolate, caffeine, or alcohol.
No Macadamia nuts, which have a toxic ingredient to dogs (Who knew?)
No bones, which can splinter and cause serious intestinal damage.

YES, please! Here’s a sample plate that you dog or cat can enjoy safely. Just keep the portions small.

Turkey or ham, fully cooked (without bones or glaze)
Mashed Potatoes (if no garlic or added ingredients that irritate). Skip this one for cats because of butter and milk ingredients.
Green Beans
Macaroni and Cheese (just a taste—it’s high in fat)—dogs only. Cats don’t tolerate milk well.
Cranberry sauce—again, just a taste, because it’s high in sugar. Even better, your dog may prefer some raw cranberries as a treat.
Sweet potatoes with no brown sugar/cinnamon topping.

Your cat will be easy to please. She’ll be more than happy with a tasty slice of turkey or ham, no sides.

Happy holidays!

And remember to include on your gift list your favorite animal welfare organizations this holiday season.

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