November 26, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving 2008!

Cats and Dogs at Dinner Table
Alfred Mainzer

Happy Thanksgiving from Super Cool Pets!

With all the yummy smells and fun people around to play with, managing your pets at Thanksgiving can be a challenge. Here are 7 Tips for a Dog Wonderful Thanksgiving! by Cesar Millan.

Go for a long walk.
Don't feed your dog from the table.
Don't share the human food.
Educate your guests.
Secure the trash.
Use temporary tags.
Keep emergency contact information handy.

Cesar also wisely cautions that Thanksgiving Food is Not Dog Food! Here are a few foods that are not healthy for your pet:

Turkey Skin - High-fat foods, such as turkey skin, can be hazardous to your dog. Since the skin is hard to digest, it can lead to pancreatitis. If you still want to share your bird, give your dog a small piece of white meat.
Turkey Bones - Cooked poultry bones are brittle and splinter easily. If ingested, they can lodge in the esophagus or cause stomach or intestinal irritation.
Xylitol - This sweetener is present in products from gum to sugar-free cookies. Even in small amounts, ingestion can cause low blood sugar, seizures, liver failure, and death.
Grapes and Raisins - These common snacks can induce permanent and life-threatening kidney failure in some dogs. Though some pets seem to handle eating grapes just fine, it's safest to avoid grapes and raisins completely.
Chocolate - Most pet owners are aware of chocolate's danger, but with the recent popularity of dark chocolates -- which contain higher doses of toxic cocoa -- it's more important than ever to be vigilant about chocolate consumption. Ingestion can cause abnormal heartbeats, kidney failure, and death.
Onions - High levels of onion ingestion in dogs and cats can cause life-threatening anemia. Be aware of food at your table -- such as stuffing or casseroles -- that may contain this dangerous ingredient.