If you polled several veterinarians you would find that most problems associated with the Thanksgiving holidays for which treatment was necessary were gastrointestinal, and if a few precautions had been taken most could have been prevented. Here are a few safety tips to help make your Thanksgiving holiday a safer one for your Chihuahua and less stressful for you.

The most common Thanksgiving dangers concern things your dog might ingest.

As more research is done the list of foods that are bad for dogs lengthens. Onions can lead to canine anemia. Toxins in grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure. Dogs love the taste of chocolate but chocolate can make your dog very sick or even kill him. Chocolate contains a xanthine compound called theobromine. Theobromine is highest in dark chocolate, but even milk chocolate contains theobromine. Don't leave anything containing chocolate where your dog can get it.

Don't feed your dog rich, fatty foods like turkey skin, fat or gravy. These can lead to gastric upsets and pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the digestive gland that causes vomiting and dehydration. Pancreatitis is often serious and requires emergency veterinary treatment.

While any cooked bone might cause a tear or obstruction in your dog's digestive tract, poultry bones are especially bad because they break and splinter easily. The sharp pieces can cause your dog to choke, tear the esophagus, or block or tear the intestines.

Alcohol is toxic for your dog. Don't let your dog lick beer cans because the sharp edges of the opening can slice a tongue open. Pop tabs and bottle caps are a choking hazzard or a danger if swallowed, as are swizzel sticks, tiny umbrellas or other items from mixed drinks.

Baking strings, pop-up timers, skewers and roasting bags can create problems if ingested by your pet. Swallowing such things can cause an intestinal blockage or perforation

Nonedible items coated with food residue can be chewed by your dog and pieces could be ingested. Examples are plastic wrap, toothpicks, napkins, disposable plates, plastic glasses and flatware. Pieces of aluminum foil, when swallowed, can cause cuts to the esophagus or intestinal tract which may require surgery.

Ingesting spoiled food can lead to an upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea.

Preventative safety measures are the best strategies.

Try gating your kitchen door or crating your dog while you are preparing the meal. A kitchen full of hot pots and pans is no place for a running puppy. Most dogs love to lay at their owner's feet, but we don't always realise the dog has laid down and it is so easy to trip over him.

Store leftover food in tightly closed containers and place it out of reach. If your dog is a counter surfer it may not be safe to leave food or other things out. A dog can sneak something when you back is turned and you won't know about it until too late.

If you are serving turkey, tie up the carcass in a plastic bag and throw it in the outside garbage can. Don't give the carcass to your dog because the meat nearest the bones may not be cooked as well as it should be, and with undercooked meat comes the danger of Salmonella. Make sure garbage cans have secure lids that animals can't dislodge. Put something heavy on the lid if you have to. If your trash cans are over-filled with extra holiday trash, just place the filled bags of garbage behind a closed door with a dog-proof latch.

Remember to caution children and adults not to give your pets anything except their normal treats even if your dog begs or looks at them pleadingly. Guests may not always be aware of dangers that seem very basic to you. Instead, prepare some healthy canine treats ahead of time and let your guests give those to your dog.

Do not allow your dog to play with items not specifically made for dogs, such as plastic or foil wrapping, and six-pack beverage holders.

If you are deep frying a turkey make sure your dog can't access the area. It's easy for a playful pup or an active dog to bump into the deep fryer or for a person to trip over the dog.

Other concerns.

Be absolutely certain that your dog has current I.D. tags on at all times. This is important throughout the entire year, but especially during the holidays. With the door or yard gate opening more often as guests arrive, and with the distraction of greeting family and friends there is more chance of your dog escaping.

If your holiday plans include attending a parade or other noisy celebration, it's best to leave your dog at home. Your dog may be stressed by the unfamiliar activities or get lost in the crowd.

If your guests have medications in their luggage or purses, be sure and keep the luggage locked, or the bedroom door closed, and the purses out of reach so curious dogs won't ingest it.

Holiday meals for your dog.

Don’t feed your dog a different food than they would normally get. If you must share some of your Thanksgiving feast with your dogs, do it safely. Add a few pieces of boneless, skinless turkey meat to their regular food. If your dog eats dry food try adding a small amount of broth, just enough to moisten his regular dry food.

Feed your dog before the holiday meal. A full dog is less apt to interrupt the meal with whining and begging.

Always keep fresh water available for them to drink. Increased thirst is common during the holidays because dogs pant more when they are excited or stressed. Guests may accidentally tip the dog's water bowl or spill something into it, so check it often to be sure he has water.

Ways to help calm your dog.

Keep to your dog's regular schedule as much as possible. Consider a good exercise session in the morning prior to the arrival of guests, but don't overdo it. Pay as much attention to your dog as usual so that he will not feel neglected or insecure.

Keep your dog occupied during the meal by giving him a new chewy, toy, or a treat filled Kong.

Don't leave children unsupervised with your dog. Accidents can happen so quickly. Your dog may be used to you and your children but not the unknown visiting child, and the visiting child may not know how to pet or play with a dog properly. Prevent accidents by crating your dog or placing him in another room. If your dog shows any signs of stress it's best to crate or confine him to another room. Give your dog a frozen stuffed Kong or other goodie to keep him content. Signs of stress vary, for example jumping or barking more than usual, whining, acting afraid, shivering, drooling, panting, pacing. A well behaved dog may act out of control, a calm dog may appear nervous, a friendly dog may act shy. You know your dog better than anyone else, if your dog is not behaving as usual take the precaution of crating or confining.

Emergencies

Always keep your emergency vet clinic or veterinary hospital number handy. You never know when you might need it.

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