The Humane Society warned American families on feeding their pets with leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner, arguing that they could adversely affect the health and welfare of their animals.
The national holiday of the United States, known as Thanksgiving, has been held since 1863 accompanied by large amounts of food, and among them, dominates the turkey. Another type of food consumed includes pumpkin pie, blueberry, bread crumb stuffing, mashed potatoes, and others. However, the problem stems not from food, but the amount of food prepared the day of the event, which always tends to be higher than the consumed, and ends up being fed to pets.
The organization warned that even small amounts of leftovers can cause different diseases in domestic animals. Turkey and other bones can splinter, causing the blocking in the throat, bowel obstruction, and gastrointestinal discomfort. In addition, due to the amount of sodium contained in the ham, stuffing, and any other leftovers, they may cause animal nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and neurological disorders, which leads to more serious conditions.
Among the foods that are usually given to pets during the holidays without knowing that they may be harmful, are: rosemary and sage, raw onion and garlic, butter and milk, and fruits such as grapes and raisins, as these could cause, besides the upset stomach, kidney failures and damages to the central nervous system.
The Humane Society organization, which is responsible for protecting animal welfare, encourage the owners that the food given to the pets should only be based on the food they usually eat.
Source: Daily Times Gazette