Ten Human Foods Dogs Can’t Eat
As dog lovers, it’s always tempting to treat our four-legged friends with whatever delicacy we’re indulging in; particularly when you’ve got big brown eyes following your every move. But hold on! Be tough! Not all human foods are safe for your dog. What we consider tasty, and perhaps even nutritious, may be extremely dangerous for our canine companions. Here is a list of what not to feed your dog.
What Not To Feed Your Dog
Chocolate
Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine: a little like caffeine. Theobromine is poisonous to dogs and mainly affects the guts, heart, central nervous system, and kidneys. It’s in all kinds of chocolate, even white chocolate. The most dangerous chocolates for your dog are dark chocolate, unsweetened baking chocolate or chocolate containing nuts or fruit. Chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, heart problems, excessive thirst, tremors, hyperactivity seizures, and death. What should I do if my dog has eaten chocolate?
Urgent treatment may be needed if your dog has eaten chocolate so please contact your vet as soon as possible for advice.
Coffee, Tea and Other Caffeine
Caffeine can be fatal. It contains methylxanthines: stimulants. Watch out for coffee and tea, even the beans and the grounds, coke and energy drinks. Caffeine is also in some cold medicines and pain killers. If your dog has had caffeine you may see restlessness, fast breathing, and muscle twitches. If ingested in large amounts it can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations and fits.
Grapes and Raisins
Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs and just a small amount can make a dog very sick, or be fatal. The substance that causes the toxic reaction is not yet known, but repeated vomiting or diarrhoea, often within a few hours, is an early sign that your four-legged mate has been eating either grapes or raisins. Within a day, your dog will have a loss of appetite, abdominal pain, get sluggish, weak and depressed. If left untreated, your dog’s kidneys could shut down completely.
Lollies, Toothpaste, Sweets and Processed or Diet Foods
If they contain the sweetener xylitol, they can cause your dog some real problems. Xylitol is downright dangerous for dogs. Sweets, chewing gum, toothpaste, baked goods, and some diet foods are sweetened with xylitol. It can cause your dog’s blood sugar to drop and can also cause liver failure. Early symptoms include vomiting, lethargy, and coordination problems. Eventually, your dog may have seizures. Liver failure can happen within just a few days.
Onions and Garlic
Onions eaten in large amounts can lead to destruction of red blood cells and cause anaemia. Garlic tends to be more toxic than onions. Onions, leeks, chives and garlic are part of the Allium family, yet garlic it is five times more toxic to dogs than the rest of the Allium plants. Signs of poisoning include pale gums, elevated heart rate, weakness, and collapsing.
Poisoning from garlic and onions may have delayed symptoms, so if you think your dog may have eaten some, keep a very careful eye on them for a few days.
Alcohol
Alcohol is toxic to dogs. Small amounts can cause significant intoxication.
Alcohol has the same effect on a dog’s liver and brain that it has on people. But it takes a lot less to hurt your dog. It can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, coordination problems, breathing problems, coma, even death. And the smaller your dog, the worse it can be.
Pecans, Walnuts and Macadamia Nuts
Keep your dog away from pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts and foods that have macadamia nuts in them. Just six raw or roasted macadamia nuts can make a dog sick. Symptoms of poisoning are usually seen within 12 hours of ingestion, often much sooner. They could include ataxia (walking in a wobbly fashion), lethargy, vomiting, muscle tremors, a raised body temperature, weakness, and an elevated heart rate amongst other symptoms. Eating chocolate with the nuts will make symptoms worse, maybe even leading to death.
Persimmons, Peaches and Plums
The problem with these fruits comes from the seeds or pits. They contain cyanide, which if broken down and consumed is poisonous to both humans and dogs. Seeds from persimmons can cause Inflammation of the small intestine or intestinal blockages. People know not to eat them. Dogs don’t.
Avocado
Avocados contain persin. It’s fine for people but too much might be poisonous to dogs. Persin is in the leaves, seed, and bark, as well as the fruit.
Milk and Other Dairy Products
Many dogs are lactose-intolerant. Milk and milk-based products like ice cream can cause gas, vomiting, diarrhoea, itching and general digestive upset, On a hot day, it may be tempting to share your ice cream with your dog, but please don’t do it!
