Thanksgiving Leftovers

Do you treat your dog with Thanksgiving leftovers?

It can be fun to keep our dogs with us as we enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday, but it is so hard to resist the temptation to share Thanksgiving dinner with them.

Turkey bones are a definite "no-no".

Turkey skin is something dogs love to eat, but consuming fatty food like poultry skin can lead to gastric distress and Pancreatitis, a serious inflammatory condition of the pancreas that causes vomiting and dehydration.

If you think you must share some of your Thanksgiving feast with your dogs, do it safely....

A sudden change in diet, like a big bowl full of turkey and all the trimmings could cause an upset stomach and diahrrea.

Add a few pieces of boneless, skinless turkey meat to their regular food.

Make something special to give your dog like Turkey Loaf or Turkey Gobbler Treats:

Turkey Loaf for Dogs

2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup cooked mixed vegetables
1 T. garlic powder
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup barley
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup canned low-fat gravy

Preparation -
Grease a 9" loaf pan; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, vegetables, garlic powder, egg, barley and oats. Mix the ingredients together well and place the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Press the mixture to flatten and level, then use a table knife to cut a few shallow slits on top. Pour the gravy over the loaf and bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until nicely browned on top. Cool, then cut the loaf into about six slices. Wrap in plastic wrap or foil and store in the refrigerator. To feed - Break the slices into bite-size pieces.

Turkey Gobblers

2 cups cooked turkey, cut up or shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp. grated parmesan cheese
1 T. parsley , finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 T. brewers yeast
2 T. vegetable oil

Preparation -
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked turkey, garlic, grated cheese and parsley. Mix well. Add beaten eggs; mix again. Add flour, brewers yeast, and oil and mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well-blended. Drop by rounded teaspoons full onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated oven at 350º for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Move to wire racks to cool and harden. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

These treats sound good enough for me to eat!