Nuts

Whether you’re baking or throwing them into other dishes, keep those nuts – specifically walnuts and macadamia nuts – away from your pets. They can cause vomiting, neurological issues, seizures, and a scary condition called “macadamia nut toxicosis.” Even other kinds of nuts can cause pancreatic problems over time, due to high fat content.

Mashed Potatoes

While potatoes aren’t toxic to animals – and are fine in moderation – it’s the other ingredients in mashed potatoes that cause problems. Dairy additions like milk and butter will upset their stomachs, and garlic and onion – in all forms, including powdered – are toxic.

Turkey Bones

It’s time to let that image of a “dog with a bone” die. Never let any of your pets near any type of bone! They can splinter and puncture internal organs. Even if they somehow stay intact, bones can also cause vomiting. Not worth it!

Turkey Skin

Try to avoid giving your pet any part of the bird! Undercooked and raw meat is obviously bad for them and people – can you say “salmonella?!” – and only lean white meat is even close to being OK to slip under the table.

Cranberry Sauce

Even if it’s in the form of high fructose corn syrup, your pets should not eat it. Be careful of some other additions found in some homemade recipes: nuts – as we’ve mentioned – and raisins are both bad news for dogs and cats.

Pies

While we all know we should never feed our pets chocolate pie, we might be tempted to share the pumpkin or sweet potato versions. Don’t do it! Most pumpkin and sweet potato pie recipes call for nutmeg and cinnamon, two animal-toxic spices that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, liver disease, seizures, and neurological disorders.

Fruit Salad

We’ve already highlighted how nuts – a popular addition to holiday-friendly Waldorf fruit salads – can be bad for pets, but there are other things in this otherwise healthy dish that are decidedly unhealthy for pets. Grapes – and their dried descendants, raisins – cause kidney problems in pets, especially dogs.

Uncooked Carbs

I mean, even we humans shouldn’t be eating uncooked bread dough or cake batter, thanks to the salmonella risk. Even if you’re willing to risk it yourself, don’t put your pet through the potential problem. Plus, uncooked bread dough can actually rise in the stomach, which would be absolutely painful for your poor cat or dog. Be careful!

Green Bean Casserole

You can guess why this one is a problem by now, right? Green beans on their own— a great snack for man or beast. Green beans covered in mushroom soup and a fried onion topping— no go for our canine and feline friends.

Stuffing

The only thing in this dish that’s not toxic for pets is the bread. Everything else – mushrooms, onions, sage, garlic, leeks, chives, peppers, scallions – is toxically dangerous. Don’t let your pet near it!