Thanksgiving Research Paper

Thanksgiving brings with it moist, steaming-hot turkey smothered in gravy, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie, along with an array of other delectable delights. Many people enjoy sharing this amazing holiday feast with their furry family members; however, some of the foods we eat on Thanksgiving are toxic to our pets. While some foods may make your pet sick, others can be deadly. Therefore, knowing which foods you can and cannot share with your furry friends is vital; otherwise, you may be spending your holiday at the nearest emergency veterinary clinic.
Foods that are Dangerous for Your Dog or Cat
Stuffing
Although bread in and of itself is not toxic to your pet, other ingredients found in stuffing are dangerous. These …show more content…
Treatment for a dog that consumes these foods includes making him or her vomit and using activated charcoal to halt the body’s absorption of the toxic food. Typically, as long as treatment is sought right away, kidney failure can be prevented.
Onions, Garlic, Chives and Leeks
Onions, garlic, chives and leeks are a great way to spice up Thanksgiving side dishes, including stuffing; however, these ingredients are dangerous to cats and to dogs. After eating these foods, the membranes of the red blood cells become damaged, which causes them to pop. This damage leads to anemia (a low red blood cell count). This is dangerous because the red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body.
After your pet eats onion, he or she may start vomiting, experience diarrhea, have pale-looking gums as well as an accelerated heart rate and show signs of weakness. These symptoms may not be immediate and can take a day or two to present themselves, eventually causing your cat or dog to act sluggish.
Turkey Skin, Fatty Foods and …show more content…
However, poultry bones are very small, which could lead to choking or, if swallowed, they can cause an obstruction in your pet’s gastrointestinal tract, which may require surgical intervention. Therefore, any turkey meat that you offer your pet should be bone-free. In addition, these bones can splinter, causing irritation to the lining of the esophagus and/or the gastric lining.
Chocolate
When it comes to dogs, chocolate is toxic. All baking chocolates and sweets containing chocolate need to be placed somewhere that is out of your pet’s reach. The types that cause the most concern include dark chocolate and baker’s chocolate.
The ingredient in chocolate that is dangerous to pets is theobromine. Theobromine is similar to caffeine and, when consumed in high doses, can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, high blood pressure, an elevated heart rate and, on rare occasions, seizures and coma. Signs to look for include anxiousness and an unusually high amount of energy.
Xylitol
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is used in baking. Xylitol is toxic to pets; therefore, whenever possible, you should avoid using

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