WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – When you have a dog in the house (or perhaps a cat!), you’ve probably sat down to a large family meal about to dig in with the other humans sitting with you, while Fido is sitting nearby with moon eyes trained on you, hoping they’ll get any morsel thrown their way.

Repeat after me: Do Not Give In.

Begging is very cute but it can be a problem if you allow them to eat table scraps. A lot of food suitable for human consumption cannot be digested properly by dogs or other pets.

Most cats for instance can’t process cow’s milk well and it can impact their digestive abilities, even if they look so cute lapping from a saucer of milk. Note that only some cats are lactose tolerant, and if you know this to be true about Mr. Whiskers, an occasional small cup of dairy won’t do them harm.

Bones are a choking hazards for dogs, too. Bad habits with your pets can make for many problems down the line. Your dog or cat may jump on the table when you’re not looking and eat some food directly off the plate. In less extreme cases, there may be costly vet bills should the pet eat something they shouldn’t.

“Limiting table scraps during the holidays is incredibly important. Make sure if you do give in to the puppy dog eyes during dinner it is a safe scrap for sharing. Many foods that we enjoy are deemed unsafe and can cause major harm,” Kate Woods with Whatcom Veterinary Hospital said. “Visits to the vet during the holidays for pancreatitis or a foreign body surgery will end up costing you a lot more than the turkey on your plate.”

Keeping your pet happy and healthy this holiday season may not always be the same thing. But, if you have some T-R-E-A-Ts laying around, maybe give them a safe alternative after a long night of begging at the dinner table.