With Thanksgiving (and Christmas) commonly including travel plans and family gatherings, dangers become more widespread for pets. For pet parents participating in the holiday festivities, doctors from the Veterinary Emergency & Referral Group (VERG), Brooklyn, N.Y., urge them to keep in mind the following safety tips:
* Advise guests not to feed pets food scraps during meals, especially if your pet has food allergies or restrictions.
* Do not give pets leftover bones, which can splinter and perforate the intestines or cause choking.
* Avoid feeding pets fatty foods, as they can cause pancreatitis.
* Keep pets away from foods containing artificial sweeteners, which can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure, or even death.
* Raw ingredients--including dough or batter containing eggs, dairy, or yeast--can be dangerous.
* Make sure your pet's travel crate and identification tag have updated and...