Can I Feed My Dog From the Table?
Okay, it’s time for some honesty. You know that you’re not supposed to feed your pets from the table. But you do it anyway… occasionally. (I happen to know that one of our cats likes olives. Don’t ask…)
Once in a while, giving your dog a small treat from your leftovers is okay. But please don’t make it a habit, and stick to this list of 10 foods to never feed your dog.
it is important to enforce the “no people food for dogs” rule over the holiday season, and any other time you have guests. You might be able to ignore Fido’s begging eyes, but Aunt Maggie might not be able to resist. During the holiday season, make it a hard and fast rule that the pets do not get people food.
Why Can’t I Give My Dog Table Scraps?
Many of the foods that we eat, especially the scraps that are left over after dinner is over, are not good for our dogs.
Bones of any kind should never be given to your dog as a treat. Bones can cause lots of problems for our pups.
Things like chicken skin, extra gravy, and anything fried or made with lots of butter has too much fat for dogs to easily digest. A very high-fat snack like that can give your dog an upset stomach, diarrhea, or even pancreatitis (which is very painful and needs an emergency trip to your vet).
While some vegetables are a great option for a healthy snack for our dogs, the butter, salt, and seasonings that we often cook them with aren’t. Anything with garlic or onions added can be very dangerous for dogs.
What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Table Scraps?
If you think (or know) that your dog got into something he shouldn’t have, call us (or your regular veterinarian). If you know what your dog got into, we can give you advice on how closely to watch him.
If your dog isn’t acting right, is vomiting, has diarrhea, is acting restless or overly tired, is straining to defecate, or doing anything else out of the ordinary, call us right away. Be sure to let us know if you think your dog might have gotten into table scraps or leftover food.
Did your dog help himself to your leftovers? We can help! Call us if you have questions, or come in during our regular business hours. The Princeton Veterinary Hospital always accepts new patients, and does not require appointments.
