How to keep your pets safe during holiday feasts

Overindulging in a holiday family feast can be unhealthy for humans and even worse for pets, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Fatty foods are hard for animals to digest. Poultry bones can damage a pet’s digestive tract. And holiday sweets can contain ingredients that are poisonous to pets.

Here are some things the veterinary group recommends pet owners keep in mind for the holidays:

• Keep the feast on the table, not under it. Eating turkey or turkey skin — sometimes even a small amount — can cause a life-threatening condition known as pancreatitis. Fatty foods are hard for animals to digest. Many foods — including onions, raisins and grapes — that are healthy for people are poisonous to pets. If you want to share a Thanksgiving treat with your pet, make or buy a treat that is made specifically for pets.

• Do not offer pie or other desserts for your pooch. Chocolate can be harmful for pets, even though many dogs find it tempting, and will sniff it out and eat it. The artificial sweetener called xylitol, which is commonly used in gum and sugar-free baked goods, also can be deadly if consumed by dogs or cats.

• Yeast dough can cause problems for pets, including painful gas and potentially dangerous bloating.

• Put the trash away where pets can’t find it. A turkey carcass sitting out on the carving table, or left in a trash container that is open or easily opened, could be deadly to your family pet. Dispose of turkey carcasses and bones — and anything used to wrap or tie the meat, such as strings, bags and packaging — in a covered, tightly secured trash bag placed in a closed trash container outdoors or behind a closed and locked door.

• Don’t forget that some flowers and festive plants can be toxic to pets. These include amaryllis, Baby’s Breath, Sweet William, some ferns, hydrangeas and more. The ASPCA offers lists of plants that are toxic to both dogs and cats at www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants. It’s safest to simply keep your pets away from all plants and table decorations.

• Quick action can save lives. If you think your pet has been poisoned or has eaten something it shouldn’t have, call your veterinarian or local veterinary emergency clinic. You may also want to call the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline: 888-426-4435.

Signs of distress include sudden changes in behavior, depression, pain, vomiting or diarrhea. If your pet exhibits these signs, contact a veterinarian immediately.