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Thanksgiving is about so much more than a massive turkey dinner – it’s a time to gather with family and friends (two and four-legged alike!) and focus on the good things in life. In an effort to include furry family members in the feast-ivities without putting them in danger of gastrointestinal upset or even pancreatitis, Petplan pet insurance has put together a collection of Thanksgiving-themed recipes especially for dogs!
On an average day, Petplan policyholders spend about $428.92 on veterinary treatment for stomach upset, but over Thanksgiving weekend the same treatment soars to $614.72. Why the hefty price tag? Many vet hospitals have limited hours or close for the holiday weekend, meaning pets must visit an emergency clinic for treatment.
The good news is that preventing dinner disasters is easy: don’t feed pets from the table! Instead, take a page out of Petplan’s (veterinarian-approved!) cookbook and make a few Turkey Day treats fit for Fido. Everything can be created with ingredients already on hand, and unlike table food handouts, they’re safe to offer pets.
Here’s what’s on the menu:
- Simple Sorbet: Tickle tongues between courses with this refreshing ice cube treat.
- Roasted Turkey Medallions: Turkey, carrots and oatmeal make a delicious, protein-packed entrée.
- Scrumptious Sweet Potato Cookies: Sweet potato and banana combine into easy-to-make, low-calorie cookies.
Simple Sorbet:
Tickle tongues between courses with this refreshing, frozen snack. Prepare the night before so you have plenty on paw during dinner.
ingredients
- Ice cube tray
- Diced banana, carrot, apple or blueberries
- Water (or for cats, meat broth)
directions
- Fill tray about half full with water. Add banana, carrot, apple or blueberries and freeze.
- For feline friends, simply fill the tray with meat broth and freeze.
Yields: 14 servings
Calories per treat: 5-9
why we love it: Apples are a good source of fiber, helping to clean teeth and freshen your pet’s breath.
TIP: Because they take longer to lick, these treats are paw-fect for keeping roving noses busy (and out of the way!) while you’re carrying plates from kitchen to table.
Roasted Turkey Medallions:
Slice a few slivers when the turkey comes out of the oven to create these mouth-watering morsels. Baking them is so quick and easy, they’ll be done by the time the turkey hits the table.
ingredients
- 6 oz. white meat turkey, cooked
- ½ c. chopped carrots
- ½ c. ground quinoa or oatmeal
directions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Place turkey and carrots in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Add ground quinoa or oatmeal and blend until mixed.
- Roll into 1-inch balls (or smaller, if your pet is petite) and place on a non-stick cooking sheet.
- Bake 15 minutes.
Yields: 30 servings
Calories per medallion: 17
why we love it: Turkey provides potassium and essential amino acids and is a protein-packed snack.
Sweet Potato Cookies:
Feed something sweet without all the sugar; a boost of beta-carotene and punch of potassium make these cookies a healthy coda to Thanksgiving dinner.
ingredients
- 1 large cooked sweet potato
- 1 banana
- ½ c. quinoa flour
- ½ Tbsp. vegetable oil
directions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a medium-size bowl, mix the sweet potato and banana until well blended.
- Add the vegetable oil, then mix in the quinoa flour.
- Drop dough by the teaspoon onto a non-stick baking sheet and lightly flatten each cookie.
- Bake for 30 minutes and let cool before serving.
Yields: 8 servings
Calories per cookie: 14.4
why we love it: Sweet potatoes are high in Vitamins A and C and contain antioxidants that help prevent cancer and fight the effects of aging.
Also remember:
Portion control: Pet parents should consider the size of their best friend when dishing out dinner (a Chihuahua should not eat as much as a Great Dane!). Overindulging can lead to gastrointestinal upset or even pancreatitis.
Trimming the fat: Remember to keep treats to less than 10% of your pet’s daily caloric intake to maintain a healthy diet. If you’re planning to make Thanksgiving recipes for dogs, adjust the amount of regular chow you dish out in a day.
No bones about it: No matter how much they beg, dogs should never be given cooked turkey bones to chew on. These brittle bones splinter easily, and the risk of intestinal blockage or bowel perforation is just too great to ignore!
Sharing is caring: A single splurge on Thanksgiving Day is okay, but avoid overfeeding for the rest of the week. Sharing leftovers can be a great gift for neighborhood pups – and is sure to put you on the “Nice” list come Christmas!
ABOUT PETPLAN
Petplan is more than a pet insurance provider. We’re dedicated to providing pet parents with the support, resources and tools they need to keep their pets not just surviving—but thriving—into their old age. Simply put, we aim to be the kind of company that will make our pets proud. For the third consecutive year, Petplan was listed among the top 50 companies on Forbes’ annual ranking of America’s Most Promising Companies – a list of 100 privately held, high-growth companies with bright futures. Petplan is the only pet insurance provider to have been included on Inc. Magazine’s list of 500 fastest-growing, privately held companies in America.
Petplan’s fully customizable cat and dog insurance policies provide comprehensive coverage for all hereditary and chronic conditions for the life of the pet as standard. For more information about Petplan pet insurance, visit www.petplan.com or call 1-866-467-3875.
The turkey medallions look easy, and they’re sure to be a hit at my house. We’ll have to make them extra tiny because it’s so hard to find training-size treats for my five-pound Matilda.