A big thanks to the North Shore Animal League for these tips!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Soon, families will be gathering together to give thanks and feast on holiday treats. Delicious aromas will fill the air and our pets will be glued to our sides in hopes of scoring some scraps.

During this happy time of family, food and giving, people tend to become overly generous, which means that dogs and cats will get a lot of table food scraps from family members or guests. Sometimes, however, too many treats can lead to injury or illness for our pets!

Too many fatty, rich, or new types of foods can give your pet pancreatitis or gastroenteritis; two medical conditions that can be very painful and even life threatening.

Make no bones about it – bones can lacerate or obstruct your pets’ insides. Save the bones for the broth – not your dog.

Onions and onion powder, widely found in stuffing, will destroy your dog or cat’s red blood cells, which can lead to anemia.

Grapes and raisins contain a toxin that can cause kidney damage to both dogs and cats.

Chocolate can actually be fatal to your dog or cat; so all those sweets must be kept well out of reach.

Aluminum foil, wax paper and other food wrappings can cause intestinal obstruction. Make sure to place these items securely in the garbage.

Maintain your pet’s regular meal and exercise schedule and avoid too many holiday leftovers. A disruption in his dietary routine can cause stomach upset, diarrhea and/or vomiting.

Make sure your pet always has fresh water. When there are more people in the house, there’s more chance to bump into the water bowl leaving your pet dry.

Make sure your pet has a quiet retreat should the holiday festivities be too much for him. Watch his behavior to make sure he is not stressed.

Keep an eye on the garbage and keep it securely fastened! If your dog gets into it, he may think he’s hit the jackpot, but all he’ll be winning is health problems from something as simple as gastric disturbance, vomiting and diarrhea to the worst-case scenario – death.

Any you want to add? I’d also say make sure your pet has an ID tag on (and also a microchip in case the tag gets lost).  Holiday visitors mean more people in the house that could accidentally let your pet out to get lost.