• Raw foods – Raw foods such as chicken, turkey, and meat and eggs contain harmful bacteria. Make sure they are kept away from pets. Kitchens can be barricaded and raw food well-covered while defrosting holiday meat and fowl.
  
  
• Bones and Strings from Roasts and Fowl – Strings used to tie holiday roasts and fowl are a choking hazard for pets as are bones. Pet owners should make sure discarded bones and strings are in garbage cans with tight lids.
  
  
• High Fat Foods – These can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs and cats and can trigger pancreatitis in dogs who have pre-existing conditions.
  
  
• Chocolate and Holiday Candy – All chocolate and candy pose safety hazards for pets. Chocolate and candy with caffeine are dange rous if ingested by pets. These products are made from cacao seeds which contain substances that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, tremors, abnormal heart rate, seizures and possibly death. Also, some candies are sweetened with an artificial sweetener, Xylitol, which is dangerous for pets because it can lead to liver failure; the early signs are loss of muscle control and coordination, vomiting and lethargy. All candy wrappers are choking hazards for pets and dangerous if ingested. Call a vet immediately if there are any suspicions that a pet has ingested something he shouldn’t.
  
  
• Nuts, especially macadamia nuts – Nuts can cause vomiting, tremors, hyperthermia, depression and weakness in dogs. These signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion. Call a vet immediately. Birds love nuts and seeds, sometimes to the exclusion of healthier fruits and vegetables. Also, holiday nuts for humans contain more salt and added oils than birds can safely handle. Bird owners should always be careful what their birds eat.
  
  
• Alcohol – Giving alcohol to pets is dangerous and not funny. Alcohol in beverages and foods can cause vomiting and diarrhea, central nervous system depression, reduced coordination and tremors, respiratory difficulty, coma and even death.
  
  
• Grapes and raisins – These fruits cause kidney failure over time in dogs and cats.
  
  
• Yeast Dough – Holiday yeast dough rises and if ingested by pets can cause gas in the digestive system, which can be at least painful and potentially rupture the intestines.
  
  
• Garlic, Onions and Chives – If consumed in a large enough amount, these can cause gastrointestinal irritation, discomfort and possible eventual red blood cell damage in pets.
  
  
• Avocados – These are harmful and should never be given to birds.

The best advice for pet owners is to prevent pets from eating human food. Instead, continue feeding pets their normal foods on their regular meal schedule. Make sure family members and guests understand the rules about not feeding pets food intended for humans.