Thanksgiving is a festive time, filled with feasting, family, and friends. But it’s also a time of potential distress for our canine companions. Any sudden change in a dog’s comfortable surroundings – a calm home now filled with new scents, sounds and strangers -- can send even the most balanced dog barking for cover.

To reduce your furry friend’s stress level (and YOURS), maintain his regular feeding, playing, and walking schedule. Ensure that his familiar “go to” place remains the same and keep all but the most social dogs in a separate room. If, by chance, your dog darts out the door when your guests arrive, make certain that he has either been micro-chipped or is wearing a collar with up-to-date tags for proper identification and a swift return to your waiting arms.

As tantalizing as Thanksgiving food is for people, some can prove painful, even fatal for dogs.

The most notorious offenders are:

Chocolate

All chocolate, especially semi-sweet, dark and baking chocolate contain the toxic, caffeine-like ingredient theobromine. Candy containing the artificial sweetener xylitol, is also dangerous. If you suspect that your dog has eaten something toxic, promptly call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Turkey stuffing

: It often contains onions and garlic, raisins and spices – all of them toxic to dogs. The sulfoxides and disulfides in onions and garlic destroy the red blood cells and can cause serious blood problems, including anemia. The effects of ingesting raisins and/or spices usually occur within 24 hours and include lack of appetite, lethargy, weakness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and decreased urination.

Cooked turkey bones and gristle

Turkey bones splinter easily and can get caught in your dog’s throat or esophagus. They can also cause intestinal blockages or perforations leading to infection, while turkey gristle presents a clear and present choking hazard. To safeguard against these painful possibilities, all leftovers should be carefully wrapped and promptly disposed of. 

Alcohol

To avoid intoxication and alcohol poisoning, keep all full glasses and half-filled glasses of wine or spirits out of reach of your dog’s curious nose and playful paws.

And yet, there’s no harm in providing your doggy with his own Thanksgiving feast, one that includes a few small, boneless pieces of cooked turkey, a taste of mashed potato or even a lick of pumpkin pie.