Can dogs eat Thanksgiving turkey? What’s safe, what isn’t, and what to do if your dog got into the table

Yes, with conditions. The AVMA says plain, boneless, skinless turkey is generally safe for pets in small portions. The ASPCA adds that it should be fully cooked, since raw or undercooked turkey can carry salmonella. The AKC quotes vets who say the same: turkey meat is fine as long as it hasn’t been seasoned, and the bones and skin should be skipped.

“Plain” is the hard part on Thanksgiving. Most holiday birds are brined, buttered, rubbed with garlic or onion powder, or stuffed, and the meat picks those up. A bite of breast meat from the middle of the slice, without skin or gravy, is the safest bet. A plate of scraps from the carving board is not.

“Small” matters too. A dog that eats the same food every day can get an upset stomach from any sudden rich treat. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, a history of pancreatitis, or is on a prescription diet, ask your vet before sharing anything.

No to both. These are the two turkey problems vets see most.

• Bones. The AVMA warns that poultry bones can damage a pet’s digestive tract, and the ASPCA lists them as a choking risk. The FDA notes cooked bones can splinter and injure the mouth, throat or stomach. That includes the wishbone, the drumstick and the whole carcass.
• Skin and fat. The FDA says fatty foods like turkey skin can cause pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas. Signs in dogs include vomiting, belly pain and weakness. Skin is usually basted in butter or oil, which adds to the fat.
• Gravy and drippings. The AVMA puts gravy and fat in the same risk group as the skin.
• The string. Kitchen twine soaked in turkey juice smells irresistible, and the FDA warns that swallowed string can seriously damage the stomach and intestines. Bin it as soon as it comes off the bird.

These come up on every vet and poison-control list. Some are dangerous in small amounts, so treat any of them as a reason to call, not to wait and see.

Stuffing deserves its own warning. It often combines several items on that list at once: onion, garlic, raisins, fat, and sometimes nuts. The AKC lists it as unsafe even though it’s mostly bread.

If you want your dog to have a holiday plate, set its portion aside before anything gets seasoned. The AKC and AVMA name these as fine for most dogs when plain and in small amounts:

• Plain, boneless, skinless turkey meat
• Plain sweet potato, without butter, brown sugar or marshmallows
• Plain canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling, which is sweetened and spiced)
• Plain green beans, carrots or peas, without butter, salt or sauce
• Plain boiled or baked potato, without butter, cream, onion or garlic

The ASPCA’s first advice is still the simplest: keep pets on their normal diet. A spoonful of plain pumpkin in the usual dinner bowl will make your dog just as happy as a plate of leftovers, with much less risk.

Many poisonings and blockages look fine for hours before they don’t. The FDA notes that an obstruction can take hours or days to show signs. That’s why the time to call is when you find the empty plate, not when your dog starts vomiting.

1. Get your dog away from the food and pick up what’s left.
2. Work out what was eaten and roughly how much. Keep the packaging, the recipe or a photo of the dish.
3. Note your dog’s weight, age and any health problems or medications.
4. Call your vet or poison control and follow their instructions. If they send you to a clinic, take the case number poison control gives you so the clinic can call them.

Go straight to an emergency vet if your dog is choking, struggling to breathe, collapses, has a seizure, is vomiting repeatedly, has a swollen or painful belly, or is weak and wobbly. Not sure where the nearest one is? Look it up before the holiday: our emergency vet map shows how far the closest 24-hour vet is across the country, and our guide to urgent care vs emergency vets helps you pick the right door.

Plenty of holiday trouble isn’t food someone gave the dog. It’s food the dog took when nobody was looking. A few habits prevent most of it:

• Lock down the trash. The AVMA says to put the carcass, bones and scraps in a tightly secured bag, inside a closed bin outdoors or behind a closed door. The ASPCA suggests emptying the trash through the day.
• Watch the counters and low tables. Rising dough, cooling pies, and drinks on the coffee table are all in reach of a tall or determined dog.
• Brief your guests. Ask people not to feed the dog, and kids especially. The ASPCA also asks guests to keep bags and medications out of reach, since a dropped pill is a poisoning risk too.
• Give your dog a quiet room. A crowd is stressful, and a dog behind a closed door with a chew toy can’t steal a drumstick or slip out an open front door.
• Clear the table and decorations. The AVMA warns that corn cobs and other festive decorations can cause blockages if swallowed.

If your dog will be at a kennel for the holiday, tell the staff not to accept extra food from your family at drop-off, and pack only its usual food. Our holiday boarding guide covers how early to book.