Feast-ive faux paws

Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude, sharing and a belly full of tasty food. It’s also a day when the excitement of the feast can lead to mishaps with snack-sneaking pets.

Over the years, several of our Hambone nominees experienced gastrointestinal distress after surprising moments of dining indecency. Here are some of their stories, plus lessons we can all take away in preparation for the holiday feasting season.

Meal preparation

Piling the dining table high with delicious seasonal favorites requires a lot of ingredients—and a lot of groceries, some of which can go missing if you aren’t careful. Take for example the story of Hambone Award nominee Winnie. While her dad was distracted with unloading groceries in the kitchen, she took a sneaky bite from some frozen onion rings.

“I did some quick investigating and found out that onions aren’t just bad for dogs, they are extremely toxic,” said dog dad Kyle B. Worried about the safety of his pup, he reached out to pet poison experts for advice. “I immediately contacted a pet poison control hotline, and they instructed me to take Winnie to the veterinarian.”

Luckily, Winnie got the care she needed for her onion oversight, and her Nationwide pet insurance policy helped cover the cost of treatment.

About toxicity in pets

Common ingredients that go into your holiday feast can lead to serious health situations if consumed by your pet. Onions, garlic, shallots, chives, leeks, raisins, many types of nuts and chocolate are all potentially dangerous for dogs and cats.

How much your pet ingested compared to their weight plays a factor in how severe many toxic ingestions can be. Asking the experts at the Nationwide VetHelpline® or your personal veterinarian for guidance is recommended if your pet consumes any of these items.*

Learn more about toxicity in pets.

Leftovers

Arguably, the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. Once the feast is over and the turkey naps are snoozed, it’s important to keep an eye on your pet when reheating your favorites. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a situation like Hambone nominee Foxtrot did when she swallowed a whole leftover turkey leg.

“Never has she done something like that—took it right out of my tongs,” said pet parent Beth T. “I said to my husband, ‘I think she's been plotting that since last night.’” Unsure about the severity of the situation, Beth reached out to VetHelpline, the 24/7 telehealth service provided with every Nationwide pet insurance policy, to help determine level of crisis.

“[The pet health expert] advised me to bring her to an emergency veterinary hospital and even helped look in my area to help me find one!”

Beth got Foxtrot the care she needed quickly, and Nationwide gave her a doorbuster Black Friday deal on her surprise veterinary bills.

About foreign body ingestion in pets

When pets swallow objects that aren’t meant to be eaten, it’s a serious situation that requires immediate attention. Leftover food items like bones and corn cobs, or even food wrappers can attract nosy pets and lead to serious digestive blockages.

Accidents happen but supervising your pets and early detection and intervention can improve the chances of successful removal.

Learn more about foreign body ingestion.

Trash

Not everything ends up in Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches, and some festive favorites will eventually go bad. While we know not to eat expired food that lands in the garbage, our pets are a little more daring when it comes to sniffing out spoiled snacks. Case in point, Hambone Award nominee Colbie, who dug into the trash and hit poultry paydirt.

“We discovered Colbie lying on the ground next to the trash can, unable to move,” said dog dad Youssef S. Veterinarians removed a six-pound meal of chicken from Colbie’s decadent dumpster dive, a cost that Nationwide helped cover so Colbie’s parents could focus on getting their pet the care she needed.

“Purchasing pet insurance for Colbie has proven to be one of the best investments we’ve made,” Youssef adds.

About gastritis in pets

An upset stomach can result from numerous origins, like sudden dietary changes and excess human food, especially if the food is spicy or fatty in nature. The most common signs of gastritis include vomiting, loss of appetite and lethargy.

Sometimes, gastritis can be a sign of a larger problem such as pancreatitis, a serious condition that may require timely medical intervention.

The safest bet for avoiding tummy troubles? Stick to your pet’s balanced diet as recommended by your veterinarian all through the holidays.

Learn more about gastritis.

Protection from the unexpected

Nationwide plans offer up to 80% reimbursement on claims for toxicity, foreign body ingestion, gastric upset and more. See coverage options and customize a plan for your pet at petinsurance.com.

*Except where prohibited by state law. VetHelpline is not a substitute for a visit to your primary veterinarian.