Thanksgiving Foods - What's safe for pets?

Thanksgiving is upon us, and that means tons of turkey, stuffing, veggies and desserts. For your pet, it means a house filled with delicious smells that may have them mooching for a taste. There is no harm in sharing parts of your holiday meal with your pet, but you need to choose which parts wisely. Certain foods on your Thanksgiving table could be extremely harmful to cats and dogs. The ASPCA lists the foods that your pet can and can’t eat this holiday:

Turkey – A nibble of the classic Thanksgiving bird is fine for pets, but make sure it is completely boneless and well cooked. Cooked bones have potential to splinter if ingested, and raw or undercooked turkey could contain salmonella bacteria. Also, to be extra safe, remove the skin. A well-seasoned turkey could contain essential oils from certain herbs and spices that could give your pet an upset stomach.

No raw dough or alcohol – A lick of the cookie dough bowl or a sip of wine may be sweet indulgences for humans, but both can be dangerous for dogs and cats. Batter that contains raw eggs poses the same threat as undercooked turkey: salmonella. Raw dough also has the potential to rise in your pet’s stomach, leading to vomiting or other internal problems. Alcohol has a much stronger effect on our pets than it does on humans, so even a small amount can lead to serious symptoms.

Less is more – Foods with minimal seasoning tend to be safer for pets to eat, so stick with potatoes and string beans over other rich, mixed options that may contain unsafe foods or seasonings. For example, some stuffings or cranberry sauces can contain raisins, mushrooms, onions or sage, which are dangerous for pets’ digestive systems.

Everything in moderation – It’s easy to overeat on Thanksgiving, but no one likes to feel like a stuffed turkey at the end of the night. The same goes for your pet. Don’t allow them to overindulge in these rich holiday foods, they could wind up with an upset stomach, gastrointestinal problems, or worse. Stick with small portions, and continue to feed them their regular diet.

Pet treats are still treats – Just because there are festive foods available, doesn’t mean your pet won’t appreciate their everyday treats! Offer your pet a dog bone or a stuffed Kong (with maybe just a few steamed vegetables or spoons of mashed potatoes inside) to chew on during your meal. This will also help keep your pet calm and preoccupied during an otherwise busy evening.

We all want to include our pets during the holiday, which is why dogs lodging at Morris Animal Inn over Thanksgiving won’t miss out on the tasty fun! Pets will receive their own Thanksgiving dinner of freshly cooked turkey, mashed potatoes, string beans and regular stuffing.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Morris Animal Inn!

Fourth of July Pet Safety

While you may be counting down to fireworks and barbeques on the Fourth of July, these exciting activities can be scary or even dangerous for your pet. As tempting as it may be to bring your pet along to celebrate this summer holiday, the American Kennel Club (AKC) advises against exposing pets to the rockets’ red glare.

In order to help your pet stay safe and calm during your Independence Day festivities, AKC suggests keeping your dog at home rather than bringing them along to your neighborhood party. The noise and reverberation from fireworks can be frightening to dogs, not to mention painful for their sensitive ears. Keeping your pet indoors will help dull the noise. Leave the television or radio on for calm sounds to help drown out the outdoor bangs and booms.

You can help stem the visual stimulation as well by lowering blinds and curtains and, if your pet is crate trained, keeping them in their crate and covering it with a blanket to help them feel more secure. The biggest security blanket, however, is you! If your pet seems nervous, spend some time relaxing with them. Your lack of fear and calm voice will help assure pups that they can feel comfortable.

If you are hosting the celebrations or do decide to bring your pet along, do your best to keep their environment as normal as possible. Avoid feeding your dog any BBQ scraps. Although it may be tempting to give in to a mooching pooch, any change in their diet can lead to an upset stomach and more stress. 

Don’t let your pet ingest any out of the ordinary substances. Human bug spray and sunscreen can be dangerous for pets, as can other celebratory products like matches and lighter fluid.

As a final safety precaution, having your dog microchipped with a permanent ID can help you find your pet should they get nervous and hide or run away. Talk with your vet about preparing for this situation and any specific concerns you may have during this busy holiday.

Pounds for Hounds Food Donation Totals Over 1500 Lbs!

You lose some… to win some! Morris Animal Inn’s Pounds for Hounds fundraiser had staff eating healthy and exercising to lose weight for a good cause.

This annual event, which took place over a three month period from January through March, is a popular weight loss inspiration for staff at Morris Animal Inn because it means more than just getting healthy: for every pound our staff loses, we donate 10 lbs. of food to an animal shelter. This year, our food goes to Eleventh Hour Rescue Animal Shelter in Randolph, NJ!

After months of hard work, weigh-ins and healthy eating, our staff went above and beyond for our highest total yet: combined we lost a total of 199 lbs! Our final donation to Eleventh Hour was 45 33 pound bags of Fromm dog food and 33 cases of California Natural canned food. Adding it all together, that’s nearly 1500 lbs of dry food, plus the 33 cases of cans!

This hard-earned food will be put to good use at Eleventh Hour Rescue, a shelter that focuses on saving animals from kill shelters and finding them foster and permanent homes.

This year, our Grooming staff participants topped our weigh-in charts with nearly 5% weight loss. Congratulations to our groomers and all our staff participants on taking healthy steps to help shelter dogs get healthy, too!

To help your dog get fit, sign up today for our next Kentucky Derby themed daycare fit camp! “A Week at the Races” from May 13-17 will have your dog racing to the front of the pack with treadmill trots, saddle pawlates, derby diving and homemade healthy treats. Call 973-539-0377 to book your dog a spot in the winners circle today!