Submitted by the Georgia Department of Agriculture
Thanksgiving is a time for get-togethers and good food – and also for leftovers. Here are a few tips from Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin to help dogs and their owners survive Thanksgiving and the following days without accidents or trips to the veterinarian:
· If your dog is not used to eating table food, Thanksgiving Day with a houseful of guests is not the time to start. Explain to guests that your dog is not to be given table scraps no matter how pitifully he begs.
· Dogs can choke on small bones, especially from poultry. They can also become lodged in your dog’s digestive tract. Carefully check meat for bones before giving any to your dog.
· Don’t scrape whole plates of food into your dog’s dish. Your dog may act like a garbage disposal, but don’t treat him that way. There may be unsafe items or ones that could cause digestive upset.
· Don’t give your dog any food containing chocolate or raisins.
· Consumption of large amounts of high-fat foods can cause acute problems such as pancreatitis and can contribute to chronic health problems such as obesity.
· Just like humans, dogs are prone to overeat when there is a lot of food around. Keep track of what your dog eats.
· Consider taking a walk with your dog; the exercise will probably do you both good.
Another healthy choice for your dog or cat is spaying or neutering. This keeps animals closer to home and helps them avoid potential life-threatening situations, decreases their disease susceptibility and improves overall health.
Georgians may support the state’s Dog and Cat Sterilization Program by purchasing any of the three Animal Friend license plates for their vehicles from county tag offices for a $25.00 one-time fee. More than $22.00 from each license plate sold directly benefits the DCSP. Since November 2003, more than 50,000 spay/neuter surgeries have been performed in all 159 Georgia counties through the program. To date, more than 1,000 veterinarians currently participate. For more information and to find a participating veterinarian in their area, Georgians may visit the Georgia Department of Agriculture website (www.agr.georgia.gov) or e-mail fixgeorgia@agr.state.ga.us.
