Can dogs eat our Thanksgiving stuffing?

There are a lot of dishes that make it onto a Thanksgiving table. Obviously we all know that the turkey is the main attraction, but the sides are where it's at. From mashed potatoes and gravy to the canned cranberry sauce and even the green bean casserole, there are just some sides we automatically think about at Thanksgiving.

One side dish that is a staple at Thanksgiving is stuffing. But just because something is a staple on the table, that doesn't mean that it is something our dogs can eat. And there are certainly a lot of things that our dogs should be staying away from during the holidays.

In order to best explain whether or not dogs can eat stuffing, we reached out to some experts. And thankfully, we have some very clear answers.

Is stuffing safe for dogs to eat?

Up first we have Teachme.to's Dr. Gabre Denton, a Pet Trainer and Veterinarian, who made it very clear that stuffing is a no-go for our dogs. As Dr. Denton explains, "Stuffing isn’t safe for dogs since it usually has onions, garlic, and seasonings that can be toxic. The high fat and sodium content is unsafe for dogs and can lead to GI issues commonly. If there are any raisins or grapes in them these can be highly toxic to the kidneys, so if eaten you will need to get to the vet asap. Even if it smells amazing, it’s best to keep it away from your pup to avoid any problems."

Our second response came from Rover's Dr. Rebecca Greenstein, the Veterinary Medical Advisor. As Dr. Greenstein points out, "Any food outside your dog’s main diet should make up no more than 10% of their daily calorie intake, which means table foods should be given extremely sparingly, if at all. Depending on the recipe, stuffing contains salt, high-fat turkey drippings as well as butter, and onions and garlic, which can be toxic to pets if ingested. Make sure you know the ingredient list before even contemplating sharing your holiday plate with your pooch. When in doubt, skip it."

Honestly, both of their answers do not come as a big surprise to us, but it is always nice to get clarification from professionals when it comes to keeping our dogs safe and healthy. And of course, we all know that the holidays can get hectic and things happen. So it makes sense to ask questions and confirm why something may not be safe.