During the holiday season, pets are often found waiting for a piece of food to drop in the kitchen or begging a guest to sneak them something under the table. It’s important to know which foods are safe for your pet to enjoy.

Delaney Djuric, nutritionist and store manager of Premier Pet Supply, has some tips to keep your pet safe and satisfied during the holidays:

“Most people know that foods like chocolate and grapes should not be given to pets but some less-obvious foods that come up during the holiday season are any rich or fatty foods, bones, nuts or yeasty dough before it’s cooked.

“It’s tempting to give your pet a leftover slice of turkey or chicken when cleaning up your holiday meal. However, the skin is high in fat and can have adverse effects on your pet’s stool or result in inflammation of their pancreas, which left unchecked can lead to pancreatitis.

“Cooked bones can also cause issues. It’s natural to think dogs can handle any bone given to them but when bones are cooked, they lose their moisture and can become too brittle for the dog’s strong jaw. This can result in splintering and broken bones that can cause serious digestive problems when swallowed.”


Pet-safe foods

“Vegetables like green beans, carrots, brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes contain a lot of healthy vitamins, minerals and amino acids that your pet can benefit from. Pets can eat these raw or cooked but is important to make sure they are not seasoned.

“Holiday fruits like blueberries, cranberries, pineapple and strawberries are also safe for dogs. Make sure to remove any seeds before giving to your pet as most seeds are toxic, though the fruit itself isn’t.

“Pureed pumpkin can be a good treat for dogs as long as it is 100-percent pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Keep in mind, you can always get some holiday-themed pet treats from your local pet store to stay in the holiday spirit while keeping your pets safe.”


Signals or warning signs your pet has eaten something unsafe

“The most common signs that your pet ate something they weren’t supposed to is vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, drooling, difficulty breathing and not eating their food. These things on their own can sometimes mean nothing but during the holiday season, when you have multiple toxins and people in the house, it's best to take these symptoms seriously if your pet is exhibiting one or more of them. When your pet has eaten something and you aren’t sure how much they have consumed, their condition may escalate very quickly if proper action isn’t taken.”


What to do

“The first step is to remove anything that is left from what they ate. Next, contact your vet immediately and give as much detail as possible. If your vet isn’t open, look for a local emergency vet or animal hospital that is open 24/7 or during holidays.

“If there isn’t any way to get to a vet, contact ASPCA Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661. If all else fails, induce vomiting by orally administering 1 tablespoon of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide for every 10 pounds of body weight.”