Every year when we come back to work on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, we are faced with numerous emergency hospital reports and emails/messages to schedule appointments for vomiting, diarrhea, and pets that seem in pain. And although accidents happen sometimes these conditions are caused by us humans.
Thanksgiving weekend is filled with wonderful smells and a dinner filled with yummy foods. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables smothered in butter, etc. And although we know we shouldn’t eat like this every day, on holidays it’s a special treat.
Now, what happens when we share this ‘special treat’ with our pets? Foods high in fat can set off an inflammatory process in the pancreas known as ‘pancreatitis’. Pancreatitis is an incredibly uncomfortable condition for your dog to have. They typically can develop vomiting, diarrhea, pain in their abdomen, restlessness, and lethargy. Some dogs will even hunch over as though they have back-pain or gag and lick their lips often. Treatment for pancreatitis depends on the severity of the condition. Bloodwork informs us how well the pancreas is functioning and many times treatment requires numerous days hospitalized on intravenous fluids and medications.
The simplest way to avoid pancreatitis in dogs is not to feed them any food except for their dog food. If you want to prepare them something special, there are numerous healthy pumpkin dog treat recipes available online and commercially prepared products. Keep a few at your dining table for your guests to give to your dogs if they can’t resist the ‘puppy eyes’. Keep your garbage cans safely behind closed doors. The smell of it with food scraps is uncontrollably tantalizing to your pets. Don’t leave the turkey carcass unattended in the kitchen nor pots and pans accessible while your family is enjoying themselves at the dining room table. One final note: watch the kids table. Every kid will happily share their vegetables and more, even if they are slathered in butter!
With a few simple precautions, we can be sure, everyone has a safe thanksgiving weekend and still feel great on Tuesday.
Snelgrove Vet (Brampton, ON) 