LEWISTON — When frying your Thanksgiving turkey outside, do it in a place where your dog doesn’t frequent, even if you think you’ve cleaned up, recommends veterinarian Erich Baumann.

After Thanksgiving, the Animal Emergency Clinic of Mid Maine sees more patients, said Baumann, who is chief of staff at the clinic. Most often, it’s dogs, since some will eat anything — including things that aren’t edible or safe, like rocks coated with turkey grease that smell like turkey.

“I’ve had dogs go out and eat pounds of rocks from the spillage,” Baumann said, adding he’s surgically removed two or three pounds from a dog’s stomach. A dog can safely pass a small rock, but not dozens of rocks “sitting there in a big pile,” he said.

Ouch — for both your dog and your wallet.

Another common problem after Thanksgiving and Christmas are dogs getting sick after getting into the trash, especially when the trash has the inviting aromas of turkey bones, turkey fat and turkey wrappers.

Or, dogs who — when you leave the room — manage to get on the dining room table and help themselves to whatever’s there.

Turkey bones are not safe for dogs to eat, he said.

“Bones can cause a blockage of the intestine,” Baumann said. So could plastic wrap. A blockage could be life threatening, he said.

Baumann said they take X-rays of the animal’s gastrointestinal tract, which show how well whatever was eaten was chewed and whether it can safely pass.

“If there’s a whole turkey leg in there, that might end up with surgery,” he said.

When dogs eat things they shouldn’t, they’ll often have diarrhea, start vomiting and become lethargic, Baumann said. “Typically we see the G.I. thing.” When pets have thrown up or had diarrhea once, he recommends withholding food and water a few hours.

But if the sickness lasts more than a few hours, or vomiting and diarrhea continue, pets should be seen, he said.

In addition to blockages, getting into the trash and eating fatty foods can cause pancreatitis, Baumann said.

“Make sure the garbage can is where the dog can’t get at the garbage,” he said. “And watch the leftovers. Make sure they don’t get into the food.”

Cats also need to be watched.

“I’ve had cats eat the string on the ham. Dogs eat it, too,” Baumann said.

String is especially bad if eaten by a cat, he said. “It’ll get stuck,” or part of the string will go down the intestines and get stuck, Baumann said. It could end up cutting and hurting the animal’s intestines, he said.

Another holiday danger to cats is tinsel, which cats often like. Luckily, fewer people use tinsel these days.

It can be hard to eat your holiday meal with those eyes begging, but table scraps can upset pets’ digestive systems. Some dogs can handle leftovers, others will get sick.

“It depends on the dog,” Baumann said.

While table scraps for dogs should be avoided or limited, some food low in fat such as lean turkey, most vegetables and mashed potatoes not made with cream and butter, can be OK in moderation for some dogs. Raw onions are also dangerous, Baumann said.

Top 10 tips on Thanksgiving food for pets

1. Alcohol and bread dough: No! Never. No amount is safe.

2. Green beans: Yes! Green beans can be a great addition to a pet’s diet, (as long as we’re not talking green bean casserole.)

3. Chocolate: No! Dangerous for your pet.

4. Macaroni and cheese: Yes, as long as your pet can handle the cheese.

5. Xylitol, and other artificial sweeteners: No! Very bad. “We see Xylitol a lot in gum,” said Dr. Erich Baumann. It can be deadly to dogs. Xylitol is found in sugar-free candy, gum, baked goods. Even a small amount can cause a rapid loss in blood pressure in dogs. It can cause seizures and liver failure.

6. Cranberry sauce: Yes,but watch the sugar.

7. Grapes and raisins: No!Can be toxic to dogs.

8. Mashed potatoes: Yes, as long as the potatoes aren’t made with cheese, onions, cream, butter and gravy.

9. Onions, garlic, leeks, scallions: No!Can lead to toxic anemia.

10. Turkey: Yes. Lean turkey can be a good protein when given in an amount your pet can handle. Stick to white meat, avoid access skin, no bones.

Source: PetMD

For more: www.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/seasonal/top-ten-tips-for-feeding-pets-thanksgiving-leftovers

Caution: The above list does not mean you can make your dog a big plate of mashed potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce and green beans. Dr. Erich Baumann of Lewiston’s Animal Emergency Clinic cautions to limit table scraps; some dogs can tolerate some scraps, but others cannot.