6 Thanksgiving foods that are bad for cats and dogs

© Provided by Gray Media Group, Inc.   Keeping your pets safe during Thanksgiving.

By Amanda Lindsley, WAFB 9

Thanksgiving is almost here and that means an abundance of delicious food. However, it’s important to remember many popular human dishes are not healthy for pets to consume.

During the holiday season its important that pet owners stay away from the following foods.

• Stuffing: Thanksgiving dressing is often made with onions, scallions or garlic. These ingredients are extremly toxic for pets and can cause life-threatening anemia. This is the destruction of red blood cells.

• Ham: Ham and other pork products can cause pancreatitis, upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea. Pork is also high in fat, which can lead to obesity in pets. Even a small amount of ham can contribute a very large amount of calories to a small dog or cat’s diet.

• Turkey Bones: Bones can cause severe indigestion in dogs and cats, potentially causing vomiting and obstructing the bowel. Bones may also splinter and cause damage to the inside of the stomach and intestines. In some cases, turkey bones may even puncture through the stomach and cause a potentially fatal abdominal infection.

• Mashed Potatoes: While potatoes are safe for pets to eat, mashed potatoes usually contain butter and milk, which can cause diarrhea in lactose intolerant pets. Additionally, some recipes call for onion powder or garlic, which are very toxic to pets.

• Salads with Grapes/Raisins: There are many salads served at Thanksgiving that include grapes or raisins as an ingredient, from fruit salad, to waldorf salad, to ambrosia. However, grapes and raisins are very virulent and potentially deadly. Grapes can cause severe, irreversible and sometimes fatal kidney failure in dogs. Be sure to keep all dishes that include grapes and raisins away from pets.

• Desserts: While pumpkin pie is the most famous Thanksgiving dessert (canned pumpkin also has many pet health benefits), many people offer a variety of chocolate desserts at Thanksgiving. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats, yet dogs love the smell and taste of it. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is. Keep all chocolate desserts out of the reach of pets to prevent an emergency trip to the veterinarian.