The Friendly List of Thanksgiving Foods Bad for Dogs

foods bad for dogs
Do you know which dishes are foods bad for dogs?

Thanksgiving is coming soon and you’re probably planning what dishes you’ll be making for the big day. There’s gonna be plenty of dishes to eat out of and like most thanksgiving dinners; there’s gonna be a lot of leftovers. There’ll be plenty of food for the family and the dogs but wait? Should you really be giving you dogs thanksgiving leftovers? You don’t really know what your dog will get sick from but leaving your dog out of thanksgiving isn’t an option. Canine Caviar wants to help you out during this chaotic holiday. We’ll show you our list of thanksgiving foods bad for dogs where you’ll learn which foods are big troublemakers. We’ll also show you which foods dogs can eat and make great thanksgiving dog treats. Time to help you make a friendly dog thanksgiving dinner!

The List of Foods Bad for Dogs Starts Here!

Lets Start by talking about the common Thanksgiving dishes that can pose a problem for your dog. These are dishes you shouldn’t give to your dog for multiple health reasons including allergies, upset stomachs, and food intolerance. Some of these are toxic foods for dogs and will result in the death of your best bud. No one wants that so let’s see how we can keep our dogs safe. We’ll list each dish and show which fall in our list of foods bad for dogs.

Foods bad for dogsAlcohol

Alcohol and anything cooked in alcohol is bad for your canine companion. If consumed, alcohol can have many negative repercussions if your dog consumes it. If your cooking any dishes that require wine; make sure your dog does not take a bite. Many wines are based on grapes which are toxic to dogs and can result in death.

Foods bad for dogsBread

Plain bread rolls aren’t bad for your dog but bread dough and some breads are no good. Don’t let your dog get near the dough no matter what it’s for. Dough contains yeast, a necessary ingredient to make bread rise. When bread rises within your dog’s stomach, it can lead to major problems. Your dog can develop deadly bloat, which is when your dog’s stomach flips over causing major abdominal pain. Dough also contains raw egg which may contain salmonella. Your dog can receive salmonella poisoning so it’s a good idea to keep your dog away from the dinner rolls and cookie dough this Thanksgiving.

Chocolate foods bad for dogsChocolate Desserts

This one should be obvious. Chocolates and chocolate desserts are foods bad for dogs. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine which are stimulants but terrible for dogs. These stimulants cause a lot of chaos in your dogs metabolism and also damage the heart and central nervous system. Chocolate can also be a factor of pancreatitis; A disease that affects the dog’s pancreas.

Cranberry Sauce

toxic foods for dogsCranberry sauce is delicious but is also on our list of foods bad for dogs. Cranberries themselves are not bad for dogs. They have some good benefits that can help improve the health of your dog. What is bad about cranberry sauce is the huge amounts of sugar inside. We’re not talking about natural sugars like fructose and carbohydraes. We mean granulated sugar which is processed and heavily used in these dessert goods. Too much sugar can lead to many health issues for your pooch including diabetes. Dogs can also expect to see considerable weight gain.

foods bad for dogsFruit Cake

Fruit cake holds a great amount of dangers for your dog. This wonderful holiday dessert is usually full of raisins. Raisins and grapes are absolutely toxic for dogs. Grapes and raisins cause acute kidney failure which is life threatening. The more dangerous thing is that it’s unknown which toxin or which amount s deadly. That’s why any digestion of grapes and raisins should be considered threatening. Fruit cake is also home to many dangerous nuts like macadamias, walnuts and pecans. These nuts cause a wide range of health issues in dogs so it’s best that you keep you dog away from them.

toxic foods for dogsGreen Bean Casserole

Yes, your bean casserole is one of many foods bad for dogs on our list. Green beans aren’t bad themselves but green bean casseroles contain onions and mushrooms which are toxic foods for dogs. There’s a toxin prevalent in onions known as N-propyl disulfide. N-propyl disulfide will cause a dog to develop anemia. The toxin attacks oxygen cells that are found inside red blood cells. Red blood cells will carry less oxygen resulting in the anemia. Mushrooms we buy at the grocery store are considered to be mostly safe for dogs but it’s still best to keep your dog away from mushrooms. This is especially true when we consider all the junk we put on mushrooms to make them taste delicious.

Mashed Potatoes

foods bad for dogsMashed potatoes aren’t bad plain but that’s not how we like our mashed potatoes. We like to make our mashed potatoes tasty with plenty of butter and milk to make nice and creamy. Too bad this makes mashed potatoes a bad choice for dogs. Butter is very rich in fat so it can lead to health issues like obesity and pancreatitis. Milk isn’t as kind either. The reason why milk and other dairy products are foods bad for dogs is because most dogs are lactose intolerant. Dogs can’t digest milk and is also high in fat and sugars.

Pumpkin Pie

toxic foods for dogsPumpkin pies are yet another on the list of foods bad for dogs. Thanksgiving pies often are loaded with spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon which can cause some big health issues. nutmeg contains a harmful toxin known as myristicin. Myristicin is responsible in causing seizures and degradation of the dog’s central nervous system. Cinnamon cause a wide array of issues such as vomiting, diarrhea, low blood sugar, and liver disease.

Stuffing

foods bad for dogsThe famous stuffing is a treasure trove of foods bad for dogs. These foods include pepper, sage, garlic, chives, scallions, and leeks. The dangers among these items range from upset to stomach to completely toxic so it’s best to just leave it of your dog’s menu.

Turkey

foods bad for dogsLast but not least, Turkey can be bad for your dog. Turkey meat itself isn’t bad but turkey skin and the turkey bone are issues. The turkey skin is high in fat and has often been roasting in spices that are bad for dogs. Turkey skin can possibly be toxic for dogs and result in death so don’t feed it to your dog. Turkey bones are bad if ingested by your dog. It can cause vomiting and can harm the inside of your dog. Make sure you leave bones in hard to reach places to keep your dogs safe.

Friendly and Delicious Foods Dogs Can Eat

You now see that many Thanksgiving dishes are bad for your dogs but not the whole dish. There are foods dogs can eat in these dishes; we just have to modify them so they can eat it. Here’s a list of foods that make great Thanksgiving dog treats. These options are awesome and will contribute to a great dog thanksgiving dinner.

foods dogs can eatApples

Apples and dogs go quite well together. There is some preparation that needs to be done though before you feed them to your dog. You want to feed your dog apple slices because the core can be a choking hazard. Apple slices are excellent thanksgiving dog treats because they’re a good source of fiber. The fiber will help clean out the colon, keeping it healthy and free from harmful bacteria. Please feed only a few apple slices to your dog though because too much can cause bellyache.

foods dogs can eatCarrots

Carrots are another on our list of foods dogs can eat. These crunchy delights provide many great benefits for your pooch. Besides being another source of fiber, carrots are a low calorie snack and a source of vitamin A. Vitamin A helps improve the eyesight of your dog and prevents blindness. Make sure if you serve carrots, to prepare them into bite-sized pieces to prevent choking.

foods dogs can eatCooked Potato

Boiled or baked potatoes are great thanksgiving dog treats. The potato has a lot of necessary vitamins dog need such as iron, vitamin C and vitamin B6. The potato should be plain; there’s no need to add oils, salt, or seasoning.

foods dogs can eatPumpkin

Fresh pumpkin is not only fitting for thanksgiving but great for your dog too. Pumpkin will help out your dog’s colon just like apples and carrots can. Pumpkins also help your dog with intestinal issues such as diarrhea and constipation. If you plan to give your dog pumpkin, it’s always best to give him/her fresh pumpkin. If your short for time, canned pumpkin is fie as long as it’s not the kind intended for pumpkin pies. There’s too much sugar and other spices in them.

foods dogs can eatPlain Sweet Potato

Sweet potato is another on our list of foods dogs can eat. Sweet potato has many benefits for your dog. For one, sweet potato helps promotes low blood sugar; great for dogs at risk for diabetes. It is also known that sweet potato has cancer fighting properties thanks to chemicals and compounds found inside. Just like regular potatoes, these should be kept plain.

foods dogs can eatRaw Green Beans

Green Beans make for more great Thanksgiving dog treats. Green beans contain protein, iron, calcium and an array of vitamins and minerals all great for dogs. They’re also another low calorie snack like carrots. Dogs can eat them in any way as long as they’re plain. If you’re looking to save time; raw and crunchy is perfectly fine.

foods dogs can eatSkinless Cooked Turkey

I said that the skin and bone of a turkey was bad for dogs but the meat is quite good. Turkey meat is full of proteins, phosphorus, and riboflavin; Necessary components for a dog’s body. Phosphorus helps build healthy strong bone structure with the help of calcium. Riboflavin is necessary to break down proteins and carbohydrate in order to covert them in energy. Riboflavin also promotes healthy oxygen usage throughout the body.

foods dogs can eatYogurt

Not all yogurt is good for dogs but plain Greek yogurt can serve as great thanksgiving dog treats for you canine. Yogurt has loads of calcium and protein to develop strong bones and muscles. Yogurt is also a probiotic making it good for your dog’s digestive system. It should not be given to dogs with heavy lactose intolerance though since it may be hard for them to process it.

Ideas for Great Thanksgiving Dog Treats

Now that you’ve seen our list of foods bad for dogs and foods dogs can eat, it’s time for treat ideas! These simple Thanksgiving dog treats should be a nice surprise for your friend!

  • Frozen apple slices drizzled in peanut butter: Apples and peanut butter are a great combination but always in moderation! These can be a great little dessert for your friend.
  • Diced pumpkin in some Greek yogurt: Pumpkins and yogurt both work as cleaners for digestive systems. This is a great dish to give towards the end of your dog’s feeding to clean his system.
  • Carrot and sweet potato blend: Carrots and sweet potato make sweet harmony and should be a dish worth considering. Crunchy carrots and soft boiled sweet potato make an entertaining entree for the holidays.

For the main course, you might want to go with a simple slice of turkey (no bone or skin of course) with a boiled potato and some raw green beans. All in moderation should be fine and pleasant for your dog and your best friend. Of course, feel free to use your imagination to come up with your own creative thanksgiving dishes. Hopefully this article helps you keep foods bad for dogs out of the picture when you’re serving your pal. If you want learn more useful tips or want to see what other helpful advice we can offer, check our blog.