10/08/2026
🎃🍗 From turkey and stuffing to pumpkin pie and butter tarts, Thanksgiving is all about family, food and fall! But while we’re celebrating, our pets may be plotting their own feast, and not everything on the table is safe for them. Some planning before the big day arrives helps to keep your pets safe. 🍂🍖
Here are some things to avoid this holiday season!
- Turkey, ham, Corn cobs and turkey skin 🦃
That perfectly roasted turkey is hard for anyone to resist, including your pets, but many Thanksgiving foods can cause digestive upset. Even a few bites of rich food can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain.
- Bones (ham, chicken, turkey, etc..) 🍖
That pile of leftovers on the counter might look like a buffet to your pet, but cooked turkey or ham bones are anything but a treat. Once cooked, these bones become brittle and can splinter, leading to choking, blockages, or even tears in the digestive tract.
- Chocolate & desserts sweetened with xylitol (also known as birch sugar) 🍫
Poisoning and toxicity rank among the top claims for Canadian pets over Thanksgiving weekend, often linked to chocolate, xylitol (sometimes called “birch sugar” and found in sugar-free treats), or grape and raisin ingestion. Even small amounts of these ingredients can cause serious health issues for pets.
- Baking foil, strings and skewers 🍲
- Grapes, Raisins, Scallions, Garlic, Onions and items containing alcohol. 🍇🍸
Thanksgiving is about gratitude, family, and togetherness — and that includes our pets. With a little extra care, you can help keep your furry companions safe while still enjoying all the holiday traditions.
