Thanksgiving foods dogs can't eat (and what is fine to share)

Keep your dog on their normal food on Thanksgiving, and share only a small bite of plain, boneless, skinless, fully cooked turkey meat if you share anything. The foods to keep away are cooked bones, turkey skin and fatty gravy, onions and garlic, grapes and raisins, macadamia nuts, anything with xylitol, chocolate, raw yeast dough and alcohol. If your dog may have eaten a toxic food, call your vet, an ER vet or a poison line right away.

ER sign: if your dog may have eaten something on this list, do not wait to see if they get sick. Call an ER vet or ASPCA Poison Control at 888-426-4435.

The foods dogs can't have

• Cooked bones. The ASPCA says poultry bones are a choking hazard, and dogs can injure or block their digestive tract when they eat bones, which can be serious and may need surgery. The AKC adds that cooked poultry bones are brittle. Keep the carcass and trash out of reach.
• Turkey skin, fat and gravy. The AKC says the skin and any butter or oil used in cooking add fat, which can lead to pancreatitis, an inflamed pancreas that can make a dog very sick. Rich gravy is the same story. The ASPCA also flags bouillon cubes, which are very high in sodium.
• Onions and garlic. They show up in stuffing, gravy and casseroles. The ASPCA says they can irritate the gut and damage red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs, but dogs are at risk too, depending on the amount.
• Grapes and raisins. Check stuffing, salads and desserts. Pet Poison Helpline says the toxic amount is unknown, so it is important to take any amount seriously. The ASPCA says they can lead to kidney damage.
• Xylitol. This sweetener turns up in some baked goods and desserts. The ASPCA says it can cause low blood sugar and potentially liver damage. Check labels on sugar-free pies and treats, and keep them out of reach.
• Chocolate. The ASPCA says the darker the chocolate, the greater the risk.
• Raw yeast dough. The ASPCA says it can rise in a dog's stomach, causing painful bloating and a life-threatening twist of the stomach.
• Alcohol. The ASPCA says drinks and foods that contain alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea and loss of coordination, and that it is absorbed quickly.
• Macadamia nuts. The ASPCA says they can cause weakness, incoordination, vomiting, tremors and a high body temperature in dogs.

What is usually fine in small plain amounts

• Plain turkey meat. The ASPCA says to share only boneless, fully cooked turkey. Take off the skin and skip anything cooked with butter, onion or garlic. The AKC says plain turkey cooked without salt, fat or seasoning can be fine in small portions, with the skin removed.
• Plain sweet potato and green beans. The ASPCA suggests mixing a little turkey, sweet potato and green beans into a dog's dinner. Plain means no butter, salt, onion, marshmallow topping or sauce.

Small means a spoonful. Even a rich bite can upset a dog's stomach. Ask your vet first if your dog has a health condition or a sensitive stomach. For more on what a sick stomach looks like, see our post on when a dog's vomiting is a worry.

A short note for cat homes

Onions and garlic are riskier for cats than dogs, according to the ASPCA. Keep the same table foods away from your cat, and keep cats out of the kitchen during the cooking.

When it's the ER

A video visit is not for a poisoning. Call an ER vet or ASPCA Poison Control at 888-426-4435 right away if your dog:

• ate something on the list above, even if they seem fine
• ate bones, a wrapped carcass or trash with bones in it
• is vomiting over and over, is weak or wobbly, has a swollen, hard belly or is trying to vomit with nothing coming up
• has pale gums, a seizure or trouble breathing

Have what they ate, how much and when ready, plus the packaging if you have it. Both ASPCA Poison Control and Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) are staffed around the clock. The ASPCA's page says a consultation fee may apply, and Pet Poison Helpline lists an incident fee on its site. Check the current terms on each page before you call, but do not let that delay a call.

Plan ahead for the holiday weekend. Many clinics close or cut hours on Thanksgiving and the days around it. Before Wednesday, save the number of the nearest 24-hour ER vet in your phone, along with the two poison lines above.

Why the holiday is hard the old way

Thanksgiving is when guests slip scraps under the table, the kitchen is chaotic and your regular clinic is closed. A dog who ate a little too much turkey on Thursday night may be a "should we go in?" question at 9pm on a day when nothing is open and an ER visit is expensive. Owners either rush in for every rumble or wait and wonder.

What a video visit does

A video visit is for "is this worth a trip?" questions, and for the day after, when your dog has had an upset stomach or loose stool from too many scraps and you want a vet's eyes on them. Our post on common causes of dog diarrhea covers what to watch for.

Here is how it works at Everfur. You upload your dog's records once. An Everfur vet reads them before the call, so you are not starting from zero. After the visit you get clear next steps, and your regular vet gets a summary. We work with your vet. Think of us as the visit between visits.

Book a vet visit

Video visits are scheduled, and most are scheduled within 48 hours, so book ahead rather than on the day. They are open in California only right now. Other states are closed for now. Prescriptions are possible in California only, when a vet decides they are right for your dog.

What still needs a clinic

A video can't replace hands or tests. These need an in-person visit or an ER:

• Anything that may be a poisoning. Call the ER vet or a poison line first.
• A suspected blockage. Repeated vomiting after swallowing bones, string or foil needs an exam and often imaging.
• A swollen, painful belly or a dog who is getting worse.
• Anything the vet on the call wants to see in person. Your records will already be ready for that visit.

Ready for the weekend after

If your dog has a rough stomach after Thursday, a vet's eyes can be a booking away.

Book a vet visit

Unlimited free vet visits with membership. Plus $50 off your first prescription in California.

FAQ

Can dogs eat Thanksgiving turkey?

A small amount of plain, boneless, skinless, fully cooked turkey meat is usually fine, per the ASPCA and the AKC. Take off the skin, and skip the seasoning, gravy and stuffing.

Is turkey skin bad for dogs?

The AKC says the skin and any butter or oil used in cooking add fat, which can lead to pancreatitis. Leave it out of your dog's plate.

What should I do if my dog ate something toxic on Thanksgiving?

Call your vet, an ER vet or a poison line right away: ASPCA Poison Control at 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661. Have what was eaten, how much and when ready. A video visit is not for a poisoning.

Can I see a vet online after my dog ate too much?

For an upset stomach the day after, or a "should we go in?" question, a video visit can help. In California that is a vet visit, with prescriptions possible. Other states are closed for now. For a possible poisoning or a dog who is getting worse, go to an ER vet.

Sources

• ASPCA, Thanksgiving Safety Tips: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/thanksgiving-safety-tips
• ASPCA, People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435; page notes a consultation fee may apply): https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control
• American Kennel Club, Can Dogs Eat Turkey?: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-turkey/
• Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661, open 24/7, incident fee listed on its site): https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/
• Pet Poison Helpline, Thanksgiving pet safety: https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-safety-tips/thanksgiving/