We don’t really talk much about Thanksgiving in my family, we kind of just assume my father will cook, which he does with great joy, while my mother will attempt to join in because, well, it’s Thanksgiving, until she resorts to beautifying the table and my brother will sit in the other room and play guitar.
Me? It varies year to year. Every once in a while I bake the fruit pie, as fruit pies are the only culinary skill I have truly mastered other than cold cereal. Other years I sit at the counter, watch the madness and take pictures of myself. Most years as an adult, I read your news and weather for a few hours before rolling up to my parent’s home with two wiggling carriers, filled with beasts.
Our nuclear family is four distinct aliens: All-night disc jockey turned college professor Dr. Dad, recently-retired corporate training expert Mother, musically gifted, choo choo train preservationist and older brother Bradford and myself, news anchor, reporter, dog blogger and clothes. We each claim at least one pet: Dad and Zoe are a lazy team who love to nap, Mother and Sparkle love to ride in the convertible together, Stanley is happily attached to Bradford’s ankle and then greedy little me has two beasts, cool cat Cairo and spicy Chihuahua Smidge. We are outnumbered by one because of me.
This year we’ll have a full house as we’ll be joined by our cousin April, and her dog, Hope. April just moved to the South, so this is her first holiday with us. Hope is a Bichon Frise just like Sparkle and Zoe. All the dogs are relative the same size, except for Stanley, who is a spaniel type, and all, except Stanley, are smaller than fattycakes kitten Cairo, who is 15 pounds.
Last year, we let most everyone roam around freely as my father carefully constructed the meal he had waited all year to make. Eventually I had to shoo Cairo upstairs for trying to steal some snacks. Baby’s First Thanksgiving meant Smidge gleefully hovered around Dad’s feet as he carved up the turkey, smattering little bits of meat and juice on the floor. Boy, did she love that.
So when another dog arrived to share the turkey drips, something that normally would be no trouble for our easy-going crew, new player Smidge took offense, and then took to defense, getting in an on-court tussle with the other dog.
Bradford and I were upstairs and heard a ruckus. I shouted to cut it out. Imagine my surprise when I headed downstairs to see… well… um…
Smidge’s eye had popped out. Proptosis was the official term the vet used.
Not all the way, but maybe halfway. We immediately paused Thanksgiving dinner, rushing her to an emergency vet for surgery. She survived (which if you read the blog you probably figured) and recovered just fine. We think she hit her head too hard on the island or on the hardwood floor during the scrap, uh, disrupting things.
This year will be different. It will still be fun and games and no one will lose an eye (or get close to it) this year if we ensure the beasts are secured in their proper, safest places, whether that’s in a kennel, in a bedroom, or by our side. As you can guess, Smidge will be tucked away in a comfortable kennel during dinner time.
It’s not that we don’t want our pets to be with us – it’s just that holiday pet safety sometimes needs to go beyond not making a floor plate of bony meat or seasoned stuffing, or keeping the cat from waltzing quickly towards the hot stove during his tour of the counter. And be careful laughing when the cat steals a bite of mashed potatoes or when all the animals gather at the first calling of the electric carving knife or when the dog jumps into the empty chair at the table, because the seemingly harmless details can turn into harmful events with one wrong move, one too hot something, or one deadly-to-doggy dish too close to the edge.
Just last night Smidge proved she wasn’t ready for Thanksgiving 2k19, as she stole a pizza crust from my plate and then choked on part of it. I had to give her back blows. Smidge will be more comfortable in a crate filled with blankets and toys, and I won’t be on edge. I may even leave a tape of the Macy’s Day Parade running at a decent volume, and perhaps serve up a plate of everyday kibble with a dash of broth and sprinkled with some fresh, cooked peas and cooked, diced carrots after our meal is done.
Be wary of turkey tidbits and fat, stuffings or dressings and creative casseroles, as well as other seasonal favorites. While pumpkin is good for cats and dogs, make sure it’s PURE PUMPKIN PUREE and not PUMPKIN PIE FILLING. Spices added to favorite dishes can be dangerous to dogs, like garlic or artificial sweeteners. And the last thing we need to add to the holiday is anything from an upset tummy to an ER visit. Consult with your veterinarian or an emergency vet if you have a problem. Some e-vets in the North Georgia area are listed below:
Animal Emergency of Gainesville (After Hours)
770-534-2911
https://anemerge.com/
Animal Emergency Care of Braselton (After Hours)
470-209-7222
https://braseltonervet.com/
Blue Pearl Veterinary Hospital - Lawrenceville (Smidge sees them for her routine eye care)
770-277-8600
https://bluepearlvet.com/hospital/lawrenceville-ga/
Crestview Animal Hospital – Cumming
(770) 999-9543
https://www.crestviewah.com/services/emergency-vet
North Georgia Veterinary Specialists - Buford (The team who took care of Smidge in 2018)
678-804-8071
https://www.ngvetspecialists.com
As Thanksgiving is also a time a gratitude, I am forever grateful for the medical team that saved Smidge’s eye, and most importantly, I’m grateful for the bond with my dog and her improvements since we had our little Thanksgiving snafu.
Keep everyone safe this Thanksgiving dinner - make a plan for your pets as well as who is bringing what side dish. Consider keeping pets secured in a kennel, or decide if it's best for them to remain under your watchful eye. And most importantly, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
