Thanksgiving Foods Dogs Can and Cannot Eat: A Dish-by-Dish Chart

Most Thanksgiving dishes are off limits for dogs and some are toxic, but a few plain foods are fine. See every dish and what to do if your dog ate one.

Quick answer: Small bites of plain, boneless, skinless cooked turkey, plain green beans, plain sweet potato or 100% canned pumpkin are fine. Stuffing, gravy, skin, ham, casseroles, pie and cooked bones are not. Raw dough or a sugar-free dessert means an emergency vet now; onion, garlic or chocolate, a poison line now; raisins, an in-person vet now; a swallowed bone, a same-day vet. After fatty scraps, watch 4 days for vomiting, belly pain or weakness.

This article is general information, not a diagnosis. If you think your pet is in danger, go to the nearest emergency animal hospital.

Go to an emergency vet now for any of these

• Your dog ate raw bread, roll or pizza dough, even if they seem fine.
• Retching with nothing coming up, or a swollen belly, especially in a large, deep-chested dog.
• Choking, gagging, retching, heavy drooling, pawing at the mouth, or trouble swallowing or breathing after a bone.
• String or twine showing under the tongue or at the rear end. Don't pull or cut it.
• Repeated vomiting, belly pain, weakness, trembling, seizures or collapse.

A sugar-free dessert, gum or mints (possible xylitol) also means an emergency vet now, even if your dog seems fine; call a poison line on the way. Both lines take calls every day, including Thanksgiving: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply), and Pet Poison Helpline, (855) 764-7661 (a per-incident fee applies).

The Thanksgiving plate chart for dogs

"OK" means a small piece of the plain food, set aside before butter, gravy, onion, sugar or toppings go on.

Dish	Verdict	The ingredient that matters
Plain turkey meat (boneless, skinless, unseasoned, fully cooked)	Small bite OK	Set aside before gravy or butter (ASPCA). Turkey guide
Turkey skin, drippings, fat trimmings	No	Fat can inflame the pancreas (Pet Poison Helpline)
Cooked bones, neck, carcass	No	Choking (ASPCA); can injure or block the gut (Pet Poison Helpline)
Stuffing or dressing	No	Onion and garlic, often as powder; sometimes raisins; butter
Gravy	No	Fat, salt from bouillon (ASPCA), onion or garlic powder
Mashed potatoes	No	Butter and cream; garlic or chives (onion family)
Plain cooked sweet potato	OK, small amount	Set aside before butter, sugar or toppings (ASPCA)
Sweet potato casserole	No	Sugar, butter, sweet toppings, pecans (high-fat nuts, ASPCA)
Plain green beans	OK	Set aside before butter or onion go on (ASPCA)
Green bean casserole	No; poison line if eaten	Fried onion topping; the soup base often has onion too
Cranberry sauce	Skip	Mostly sugar; some recipes add raisins
Baked dinner roll	Skip	Butter or garlic butter; some rolls contain raisins
Raw roll or bread dough	No: emergency vet now	Rises in the stomach and makes alcohol (ASPCA, Merck)
Ham	No	Fatty and salty; a ham bone is a cooked bone. Ham guide
100% canned pumpkin (not pie filling)	OK, small amount	Plain pumpkin only (AVMA)
Pumpkin or pecan pie	No	Sugar, fat, pecans; sugar-free pies may contain xylitol (FDA)
Chocolate desserts, brownies	No: poison line now	Chocolate, in any amount
Cookies or nut bowls with macadamia nuts	No: poison line or vet now	Macadamia nuts (ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline)
Corn on the cob	No	The cob can block the gut (Pet Poison Helpline)
Mac and cheese	No	Dairy and fat (ASPCA)
Raw cookie or cake batter	No	Raw eggs can carry Salmonella (ASPCA); may hold raisins or chocolate
Alcohol, eggnog, spiked cider, coffee	No: poison line or vet now	Alcohol absorbs fast; caffeine is toxic (ASPCA)

Toxic and risky ingredients hiding in Thanksgiving dishes

Onion and garlic. The Merck Veterinary Manual says they damage red blood cells whether raw, cooked, dried or powdered, and signs can take several days to appear. They hide in stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole and garlic mashed potatoes; if your dog ate any, call a poison line now, even if they seem fine. See how much onion or garlic is toxic and the day-by-day signs.

Raisins and dried currants. Grapes, raisins, sultanas and dried (Zante) currants can cause acute kidney failure even in small amounts (Merck Veterinary Manual, Pet Poison Helpline), and Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center says the toxic dose is unknown, so any amount counts. A veterinary case report cited by the Merck Veterinary Manual describes the same kidney injury in dogs that ate cream of tartar, a baking ingredient. Call a vet or poison line now and get seen in person. See why any amount of grapes or raisins is an emergency.

Xylitol. A sugar-free pie or dessert may contain it, and so can gum and mints in a guest's bag. The FDA says xylitol can drop a dog's blood sugar within 10 to 60 minutes, though serious effects sometimes don't show for 12 to 24 hours, and liver failure is among the signs. Call a poison line on the way to an emergency vet, and don't make your dog vomit at home: Merck says that should happen only under veterinary supervision, because blood sugar can crash fast.

Fat. Pet Poison Helpline names butter, fatty meat drippings, gravies and meat scraps as pancreatitis triggers, with vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and belly pain that can start up to 4 days later. Miniature Schnauzers are at higher risk. See the turkey guide's pancreatitis watch.

Salt, and why nutmeg matters less. ASPCA warns that the bouillon in stock and gravy is high in sodium and can even cause seizures. For turkey brine or very salty gravy, call a poison line now. The nutmeg in recipes is very unlikely to cause serious toxicity, though mild stomach upset is possible (Pet Poison Helpline).

How to build a dog-safe Thanksgiving plate

Before butter, onion, sugar or toppings go on, set aside some plain, boneless, skinless cooked turkey, plain green beans and plain sweet potato to mix into your dog's usual dinner, as ASPCA suggests; plain 100% canned pumpkin works too. Keep it a small treat, not a meal. Skip table food for dogs with a history of pancreatitis, diabetes, stomach or kidney disease, food allergies or a prescription diet unless their own vet says otherwise. More in the turkey guide's safe turkey plate section.

My dog already ate something from the table: what to do now

If more than one row fits, follow the most urgent. Don't make your dog vomit unless a vet or poison line says to, especially after a bone or a sugar-free dessert (see when making a dog throw up helps and when it harms).

What your dog got into	What to do now	Read next
Any chocolate: brownies, chocolate pie, fudge	Poison line now, any amount, even if your dog seems fine	4-day watch, below
Stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole, garlic butter rolls or mashed potatoes with onion, garlic or chives	Poison line now, even if your dog seems fine	Onion and garlic
Raisins, sultanas or dried (Zante) currants in any dish; cream of tartar	Call a vet or poison line now and get seen in person, even if fine	Grapes and raisins
Sugar-free pie, dessert, gum or mints	Poison line on the way to an emergency vet, even if fine	4-day watch, below
Raw bread, roll or pizza dough	Emergency vet now	4-day watch, below
Macadamia nuts, alcohol, spiked eggnog or turkey brine	Poison line or vet now; wobbly, trembling, seizing, collapsed or breathing slowly: ER now	Poison line numbers, above
A guest's cannabis edible or THC gummy	Call an ER or poison line now, before signs start; wobbly, trembling, seizing or collapsed: ER now	Weed edibles
Cooked bone or carcass pieces	Same-day vet, even if fine (on the holiday, usually an ER); gagging or retching: ER now	Turkey bones
String, twine or netting	Emergency vet now; don't pull or cut it	String and twine
Fatty scraps only: skin, fat or drippings, with no onion, garlic, bones or string	Watch for 4 days; one vomit but still bright: call a vet; repeated vomiting or pain: ER	Fatty-meal watch
A whole trash bag or the carcass	Call a vet or poison line the same day, even if fine	Carcass raids
Foil, an oven bag, the pop-up timer or a corn cob	In-person vet the same day; bring the packaging	4-day watch, below

Note what your dog ate and when, bring the packaging or recipe, and call the hospital on the way. Don't give human medicines for vomiting, diarrhea or pain, and ask the vet or poison line before you feed, fast or try any home remedy.

The 4-day watch after a holiday food raid

Timings come from the FDA, the Merck Veterinary Manual and Pet Poison Helpline.

When	What you may see	What to do
10 to 60 minutes, sometimes 12 to 24 hours, after a sugar-free dessert or gum	Vomiting, weakness, staggering, collapse, seizures	Emergency vet now, even if fine
First hours after raw dough, a big meal or a trash raid	Unproductive retching, swollen belly, restlessness, drooling	Emergency vet now (possible bloat)
Within 6 to 12 hours after chocolate	Vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, fast heartbeat, tremors, seizures	Poison line for any amount; tremors or seizures: ER now
Within 12 hours after macadamia nuts	Weakness, wobbly or dragging back legs, tremors, vomiting, fever	Poison line or vet now
Within 6 to 12 hours after grapes or raisins	Vomiting, diarrhea, or no signs at all	Vet now, with or without signs
24 to 72 hours after grapes or raisins	Less or no urine, vomiting, lethargy	Emergency vet now
24 to 48 hours or later after xylitol	Yellow gums, bruising or bleeding, black stool, vomiting	Emergency vet now
Days 1 to 4 after each fatty meal	Quieter or eating less, or one vomit but still bright	Call a vet the same day
Days 1 to 4 after each fatty meal	Refusing food, or vomiting with diarrhea	In-person vet the same day
Days 1 to 4 after each fatty meal	Vomiting more than once, hunched back, belly pain, weakness	Emergency vet now
Days 1 to 5 after onion or garlic	Quieter, tired or eating less	In-person bloodwork today (ER if it's night or no clinic can see your dog)
Days 1 to 5 after onion or garlic	Pale or yellow gums, weakness, fast breathing, red or brown urine	Emergency vet now
Days after bones or a corn cob	Repeated vomiting, not eating, straining, black or bloody stool	Emergency vet now

Each later plate of leftovers starts a new 4 days, and a quiet stretch is not an all-clear. Merck notes that milder pancreatitis may cause only vague signs or none, so call a vet if your dog seems off in that window.

Guests, counters and the trash bag: where holiday raids happen

ASPCA advises emptying the trash throughout the day, since it fills with bones, chocolate and onions.

• Take the carcass, twine and packaging (foil, oven bags, the pop-up timer) straight to a lidded outdoor bin.
• Keep guests' bags off the floor. Over-the-counter medicines and supplements, often found in purses, topped ASPCA's 2025 pet toxin list, and sugar-free gum and cannabis edibles hide there too.
• Clear plates off coffee tables and other spots at dog height, and keep flameless candles out of reach; swallowed batteries can burn the gut (Pet Poison Helpline). A chewed or swallowed battery means an emergency vet now.

If your dog already raided the bin, call a vet or poison line the same day, even if they seem fine.

What about cats?

Cats can have a small bite of plain, boneless, fully cooked turkey (ASPCA), but onion and garlic are even more dangerous for them; the Merck Veterinary Manual notes that even a little cooked onion has poisoned cats, so if your cat ate any onion or garlic dish, call a poison line now. The cat turkey guide covers skin, bones and deli meat.

Any contact with a lily in a bouquet or centerpiece, even pollen or vase water, means an emergency vet now, not a video visit. See what lilies do to cats and what to do.

When to go to an ER, call a poison line or book a video visit

If your dog ate only fatty scraps (skin, fat or drippings, with no bones, string, brine, packaging, or stuffing or gravy with onion or garlic), vomited no more than once and is still bright, keeping water down, eating and not sore in the belly, a live video visit can help you decide whether your dog needs to be seen in person and what to watch for in the 4 days after each fatty meal. RexVet is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and its vet, Dr. Tiffany Delacruz, DVM, is licensed in Florida, New York and Virginia, so a $64.99 live video visit is for dogs that are in one of those states at the time of the call. Thanksgiving availability isn't confirmed, so check open slots when you book. If you're spending the holiday out of state, use a local emergency vet. A video visit can't X-ray for a bone or run the bloodwork and imaging used to diagnose pancreatitis, so some dogs will need those in person.

In New York, the rules for veterinary video care are still unsettled, so a visit may cover less.

Your regular clinic may be closed on Thanksgiving Day, so before Thursday look up the nearest overnight emergency hospital and save both poison line numbers.

Raw dough, a sugar-free dessert, string or twine, gagging or retching after a bone, a swollen belly, repeated vomiting, belly pain, weakness or collapse mean an emergency vet now, not a video call. For onion or garlic stuffing or gravy, green bean casserole, grapes, raisins, sultanas or dried (Zante) currants, macadamia nuts, any chocolate or turkey brine, call a poison line now; after grapes or raisins, get your dog seen in person too, even if fine. The numbers: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply), or Pet Poison Helpline, (855) 764-7661 (a per-incident fee applies). Both take calls every day, including Thanksgiving.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can dogs eat stuffing?

No. Stuffing is usually seasoned with onion and garlic, which damage red blood cells (Merck Veterinary Manual); some recipes add raisins, and the butter makes it fatty. If your dog ate stuffing with onion, garlic or raisins, call a poison line now, even if they seem fine.

Can dogs eat mashed potatoes?

No, not from the serving bowl. Butter and cream are fatty, pets don't digest dairy well (ASPCA), and garlic and chives belong to the onion family. If your dog ate mashed potatoes made with garlic or chives, call a poison line or your vet now.

Can dogs eat green bean casserole?

No. The fried onion topping is onion, and the soup base often has onion too. Onion damages red blood cells even when cooked or powdered, and signs can take days to show (Merck Veterinary Manual). If your dog ate any, call a poison line now, even if they seem fine. Plain green beans, set aside before butter or onion go on, are fine (ASPCA).

Can dogs eat cranberry sauce?

Skip it. Cranberry sauce is mostly sugar, and some recipes stir in raisins, which can cause kidney failure in dogs even in small amounts (Pet Poison Helpline). If the sauce had raisins, call a vet or poison line now and get your dog seen in person, even if they seem fine.

Can dogs eat pumpkin pie?

No. Pie filling adds sugar, spice and fat, and pecan pie adds high-fat nuts. A sugar-free pie may contain xylitol (FDA), so go to an emergency vet now, even if your dog seems fine, and call a poison line on the way. After regular pumpkin or pecan pie (no chocolate), watch for 4 days; repeated vomiting, belly pain or weakness means an emergency vet now. Plain 100% canned pumpkin is the dog-friendly version.

Can dogs eat sweet potato casserole?

No. Marshmallows, brown sugar, butter and pecans make it sugary and fatty, and ASPCA notes that high-fat nuts such as pecans may lead to pancreatitis. If your dog ate some, watch for 4 days, and go to an emergency vet for repeated vomiting, belly pain or weakness. Plain cooked sweet potato, set aside before the toppings, is fine as a small treat.

Can dogs eat dinner rolls?

Skip baked rolls: they're often brushed with butter or garlic butter, and some contain raisins. Raw roll dough can rise in the stomach, twist it and make alcohol (ASPCA), so go to an emergency vet now, even if your dog seems fine.

Is a Thanksgiving cactus toxic to dogs?

It isn't known to be. NC State Extension tags Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) as non-toxic for dogs and cats, and ASPCA lists the closely related Christmas cactus as non-toxic, though not Thanksgiving cactus by name. Any plant can still cause vomiting (ASPCA), so call your vet if the vomiting repeats or your dog stops eating. Here's more on holiday cactus and when to worry.