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Is cranberry sauce safe for dogs to eat?

By Kimberley Spinney

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 20: Eli, a Chihuahua, poses as a Thanksgiving turkey at the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade on October 20, 2012 in New York City. Hundreds of dog owners festooned their pets for the annual event, the largest of its kind in the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 20: Eli, a Chihuahua, poses as a Thanksgiving turkey at the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade on October 20, 2012 in New York City. Hundreds of dog owners festooned their pets for the annual event, the largest of its kind in the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) /
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Thanksgiving has arrived and with it some classic dishes including turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and the iconic cranberry sauce. And while each of these items has to be carefully considered before we can even think about giving some to our pup to enjoy the holiday meal with us, in this case we are looking at the cranberry sauce.

While we have no problem spoiling our pups, we want to do it safely. And that means making sure that whatever we give to our dogs is actually safe for them to eat.

Although there are different styles and types of cranberry sauce, we want to figure out if any of them are safe for our dog. From the iconic can of jellied cranberry sauce to the one mom makes fresh every year, is this something we can actually offer to our dogs this Thanksgiving?

Can dogs eat cranberry sauce?

According to the American Kennel Club,

"Cranberry sauce may safe for dogs in small amounts, but there are some additional risks. Cranberry sauce is high in sugar, which can cause gastrointestinal upset, and some recipes include grapes, raisins, or currants, which are toxic to dogs."

Basically, it all depends on the recipe. And when it comes to that canned jelly that we all know is more sugar than cranberry, we definitely understand that less is more.

If you are specifically wondering about the canned jelly version that ends up on so many tables the answer is a more tentative yes. That being said, be mindful of the sugar content and never give them a low sugar version because those can contain ingredients like xylitol which are toxic to our dogs.

When looking at a homemade cranberry sauce, it is still very important to consider the amount of sugar in the recipe and to also pay attention to the other ingredients that make up this creation. Like the AKC points out, ingredients like grapes and raisins are definitely a no, so we highly recommend paying attention to things like that when trying to spoil your pup this Thanksgiving.

Cranberry sauce may not be a straight up no when it comes to dog safety, but it is definitely one of those food items that we are going to be cautious about.

What do you think fellow dog lovers? Is this something you give to your pup?

Next. What can happen if your dog eats turkey bones?. dark

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