People Food that is Bad For Your Dog
We spend billions of dollars every year to feed our pets. We buy the best dry and canned foods available, but still, most of our pets would much rather eat people food. Veterinarians warn that some foods can be very dangerous to pets and may cause illness and in some cases, even death. This is because some foods are toxic due to ingredients they contain and others because of improper cooking, storage or poor hygiene.
 Alcoholic Beverages: Alcoholic beverages contain Ethanol which can be toxic when an excessive amount is ingested. Because pets are much smaller than humans they can be affected by only a small amount of alcohol. Signs that your dog has
ingested alcohol may include the odor of alcohol on the animal's breath, staggering, behavioral changes, excitement, depression, increased urination, slowed respiratory rate or cardiac arrest. If these symptoms are present, contact your local pet hospital at once. Sickness or death may result if your dog is not treated.
Apples, Apricots, Cherries, Peaches and Plums: Large amounts of stems, seeds and leaves of these fruits
can be toxic to dogs. Signs of sickness are apprehension, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, hyperventilation
or shock.
Avocados: Avocado's contain "persin," which is a fatty acid
derivative in the leaves and in the fruit. Symptoms your dog may
show after eating an avocado can include difficulty breathing, abdominal
enlargement due to fluid accumulations in the chest, abdomen and
the sac around the heart. Even small amounts can cause problems.
never feed your pet any component of the avocado.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Baking soda and baking powder are both leavening
agents used in baked goods. They produce a gas that makes batters and dough rise. Baking soda is
sodium bicarbonate. Baking powder is baking soda and an acid
called cream of tartar, calcium acid phosphate, sodium aluminum sulfate or a mixture of
all three. Ingestion of large amounts can lead to low potassium, low calcium and/or high
sodium levels, congestive heart failure or muscle spasms.
Chocolate: Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine.
Both are nervous system stimulants and can be toxic to your dog in
large amounts. The amount of caffeine and theobromine will be
different in different types of chocolate. White chocolate has the lowest concentration
while bakers chocolate or cacao beans have the highest.
Depending on the amount eaten, various problems may occur
including vomiting and diarrhea. You will also notice restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased urination and
excessive panting. Fatal or near fatal amounts will cause accelerated
heart rate and blood pressure levels. Seizures may occur in severe cases.
Coffee: Coffee contains caffeine. The symptoms are the same
as chocolate. They can be just as serious.
Fatty Foods: Rich and fatty foods are just as tempting for
dogs as they are for humans. Foods that are high in fat can cause
Pancreatitis. Pancreatitis can affect any pet. Miniature breeds
are particularly prone to this disease. Signs include acute vomiting,
diarrhea and abdominal pain. Dog can become very sick very quickly.
Intensive fluid and antibiotic therapy by a Veterinarian is needed
at once.
Dairy: Dairy products in general are not highly dangerous but
they can be high in fat. Pets also do not digest dairy products
because they lack the enzyme required to digest lactose. This affects some pets more than others.
The affects can range from gas problems to diarrhea. Small amounts of plain yogurt or cheese are tolerated by most dogs but it is
best avoid dairy products altogether.
Grapes and Raisins. Eating grapes or raisins can cause kidney
failure in dogs. Aggressive treatment is necessary to give an affected dog a chance
of survival. Without treatment, death is possible, so contact your veterinarian immediately if
your dog has eaten grapes and raisins.
Macadamia Nuts: Macadamia nuts, are highly toxic to dogs.
It has been determined that as few as six nuts have caused severe toxic
reactions. These reactions include weakness, depression, vomiting, difficulty walking, tremors, abdominal pain, lameness, stiffness
or pale gums. These signs can dissipate in 12 to 36 hours.
Onions and Garlic: Dogs lack the
natural enzyme necessary to digest onions. Results of eating them include gas, vomiting, diarrhea or severe
intestinal pain. If large amounts of onion or garlic are ingested
the red blood cells may become fragile and can break apart. This is due to the toxic ingredient
thiosulphate. Signs can begin immediately noticed after eating the onion or
within a few days. Large quantities of garlic would need to be ingested before signs are seen.
Death can occur if the dog eat a lot of onions or garlic and do
not medical treatment.
Nutmeg: High levels of nutmeg can be toxic or even fatal. Signs of toxicity include tremors, seizures, nervous system abnormalities or death.
Moldy and Spoiled Food: Serious medical problems can arise when
dogs get into the trash containing moldy or spoiled food. In addition to
the threat of food poisoning, some pets develop tremors related to the ingestion of certain molds.
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