A dog dressed as a turkey participates in the 23rd Annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade on October 26, 2013 in New York City. Thousands of spectators gather in Tompkins Square Park to watch hundreds of masquerading dogs in the countrys largest Halloween Dog Parade. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)
One of the things many of us give thanks for is our pet!
No matter what kind of pet you have, it’s all about the love, companionship, motivation to exercise – even the physical contact – that makes it worthwhile. This Thanksgiving, however, there are some things you need to be careful about with your Morkie.
Dangerous even Poisonous Foods
Thanksgiving is nothing if not feast time, but did you know the following can literally poison your small dog? (And let your guests know too, ‘no feeding the dog’)
- grapes and raisins – scientists don’t really know WHAT causes it, but grapes and raisins contain something that can cause kidney failure.
- Xylitol (a sugar substitute found in lots of food and candy). It’s fine for us but highly toxic to dogs and cats.
- fatty table scraps – besides giving your Morkie diarrhea, fatty meat scraps can trigger pancreatitis, a very painful and debilitating disease.
- nuts – especially MACADAMIA NUTS. Because of their high fat levels, these foods can trigger pancreatitis. And they are also a choking hazard for small dogs
- unbaked yeast bread dough – yes this can be life-threatening! As the yeast warms in your pup’s stomach, it rises – distending the belly to uncomfortable levels. Plus, it gives off carbon dioxide which in turn can cause something called gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV).
- alcohol – always a bad idea for animals because they metabolize it differently than people. A dog’s heart rate can slow right down, he can do into a coma and even shock, then die. (The alcohol warning includes foods like rum soaked cake too)
- as little as 1 ounce of chocolate – the darker the chocolate the worse it is for your Morkie. Expect your dog to have diarrhea, vomiting, panting, tremors, seizures and unsteady behaviour if he’s eaten chocolate.
Foods that will make your Morkie sick
- turkey – this is quite fatty for your Morkie and will likely give him digestive problems.
- bones, turkey legs or wings – like the meat, it’s harder to digest, and any bones or fragments, can easily puncture his tiny intestines
- onions, leaks, chives and garlic – yes, some people DO give large dogs garlic and believe it’s great for dogs, it isn’t good for small dogs. All these flavorants (oops that’s a word I made up, but it works pretty well lol) … contain irritants that are bad for the GI tract and even bad for red blood cells
- caffeine – like chocolate, caffeine can overstimulate the dog’s system, resulting in hyperactivity, seizures and stomach upsets.
- citrus fruit – the citric acid in oranges, grapefruit and other citrus fruits can be very irritating to your dog’s digestive system, resulting in vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy
- milk and dairy – most dogs are lactose-intolerant, meaning they can’t break down the sugars in milk products, known as lactase. The result is bloating, a LOT of gas, vomiting and diarrhea.
Running away
With company coming and going, it’s easy for your small dog to slip out the door and his absence might not even be noticed for quite a while. Take care to contain your Morkie safely in a room, kennel cage or fenced area.