It’s hard to believe that another year has flown by and Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Thanksgiving is one of those special holidays that brings together family, friends, and special times with your pets. Unfortunately, it can also create safety hazards for your dog.

When you have a pet, planning for Thanksgiving can become a somewhat challenging experience. Without question, Holiday foods need to be secured and kept away from your dog. This is true whether you are traveling to visit family or are planning to host this special occasion at your home.

With our thoughts on family, planning the meal and the many distractions that are not within the realm of our daily routines, it becomes easier for our pets to become injured or sick. If you follow these tips, your dog will have a better chance of staying safe over the holiday season. Your canine companion won’t be so thankful if they feast on the under-cooked turkey, an unfriendly floral arrangement, or if they take a sip on that unattended alcoholic beverage.

Overindulging in the family meal can be unhealthy for humans (4,500-plus calories!), but vastly worse for Fido: Fatty foods are hard for animals to digest and many foods that are healthy for people are poisonous to pets including onions, chocolate, sage, yeast dough, tomato leaves, grapes, and raisins — just to name a few. Poultry bones can damage your pet’s digestive tract. Sometimes even a small amount can cause a life-threatening condition in canines known as pancreatitis.

Holiday treats can contain ingredients that are poisonous to pets. We all know how hard it is to refuse your dog when they look at you with those soulful, brown eyes, begging for a taste of your delicious Thanksgiving meal that you’ve just prepared. A small taste (emphasis on small) of mashed potatoes or turkey should not cause an issue, but don’t leave your dog wishing they had a pair of stretchy pants to put on after dinner.

Any more than the tiniest taste is too much for your pet and can cause an upset stomach. If you find it difficult to resist giving your pet a tiny sample of turkey, be sure it’s boneless and well cooked.

No pie or other desserts for your dog. Chocolate can be life-threatening for pets, even though many dogs find it tempting and will seek it out. Xylitol, the artificial sweetener — commonly found in sugar-free baked goods and gum — can also be deadly if consumed by dogs or cats. Yeast dough can also be problematic for dogs, including painful gas and potentially life threatening gastric torsion.

Another way to share the Thanksgiving meal with Fido and alleviate your guilt, is to fill a Kong with some watered-down chicken broth, a small amount of unseasoned sweet potatoes, a dab of pumpkin, and place it in the freezer for 24 hours. This will keep your dog occupied, and feeling pretty lucky, while you visit with your guests and count the many blessing in your life, including the family dog.

Be sure to place the trash in a safe area, away where your dog can’t access it. A turkey carcass left out on the carving table, kitchen counter or disposed of in an open trash container, can also be fatal to the family dog. Be sure to dispose of turkey bones, carcasses, and anything used to tie or wrap the meat, such as strings and packaging — in a tightly covered and secured trash bag placed in a closed receptacle outdoors (or behind a closed, locked door). Just ensure that if left outdoors, the dog has absolutely no access to it.

Be careful with decorative plants. There are many flowers and festive plants that can be toxic to pets. These include amaryllis, Baby’s Breath, Sweet William, some ferns, hydrangeas, and more. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) offers lists of plants that are toxic to both dogs and cats, but the safest route is simply to keep your pets away from all plants and table decorations.

If your dog should ingest one of these plants or food items, quick action can save your pet’s life. If you believe your pet has been poisoned or consumed one of these items it shouldn’t have, call your veterinarian or local veterinary emergency clinic immediately. You may also want to call the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline: 888-426-4435. Signs of pet distress include: Sudden changes in behavior, depression, pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

With all the hustle and bustle the holiday season can bring, it can be very easy for your dog to sneak out the door during a family gathering. Always make sure your doors and windows are latched, and, to help ensure your pet makes it home safe and sound, in the event case they escape, be sure your pet is microchipped or wearing some type of ID such as a collar tag or embroidered collar with your information on it.

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful. If you follow these tips, both you and your dog will have much to be grateful for! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Margaret A. Reed, PhD, is the coauthor of the best-selling book, The Dogs of Camelot, an AKC dog show judge, thoroughbred racehorse owner, principal of Canine Training and Behavior Services LLC, and serves on the board of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, James A Baker Institute for Animal Health.