Friday, May 2, 2014

Human foods you should NOT share with your dog

Easter has passed, and this got me thinking about how much chocolate I have sitting around my house. Which made think about what would happen if my dog ate it? I know Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, but how bad is it? Also what other human foods are bad for my dog? My first order of business was to dispose of the chocolate so my dog was safe; so I ate it…unfortunately I ate all of it which led me to feel sick to my stomach. Then I began my research, which upon further review there are quite a few foods that can make your dog sick or worse. Some are quite obvious (Chocolate, medicine, any fruit with a pit) and others are kind of a shocker (grapes, Onions, Milk). So here is my list with a short explanation as to why (I have a list of resources at the bottom for more details):

Chocolate: The ingredient in Chocolate that is poisonous for dogs is called Theobromine. A good rule to know is the darker the chocolate the worse it is. If your dog eats white chocolate it will probably be ok just be sure to monitor them. If your dog eats Dark Chocolate depending on his size and how much you should probably get your dog to the vet!

Avocado: Avocados contain Persin mainly in the leaves, seed, and bark this is mainly seen in Guatemalan variety. Dogs are allergic to Persin, which can cause Diarrhea, vomiting, and heart congestion.

Bread Dough: Homemade bread dough contains yeast which causes the bread to rise and expand, it will do the same in your dog’s stomach. You can understand why this is bad, it will cause your dog’s stomach to expand and will cause a great deal of pain. Also as the yeast multiplies it creates alcohol as a by-product which can cause alcohol poisoning in your dog and could result in death.

Alcohol: Even a small amount of alcohol can cause alcohol poisoning in your pets. If your pet ingests any alcohol be sure to monitor them for vomiting, seizures, disorientation. If symptoms worsen take them to a vet immediately for monitoring.

Grapes/Raisins: These foods have been linked to Liver Damage, and Kidney Failure. The weird part is some dogs were affected one time and not affected another. Even just a hand full of grapes can be life threatening for you dog!

Macadamia Nuts: This one is less life threatening, but can cause some severe discomfort for up to 48 hours, and could still result in death. Symptoms include weakness, paralysis of hindquarters, and vomiting. Be sure to monitor these symptoms closely.

Onions/Garlic: These will destroy your dog’s red blood cell count leading to anemia. Most dogs would have to ingest quite a bit to get very sick, but it is probably a good idea to avoid them.

Sugarless Gum: Sugarless gum contains an artificial sweetener called Xylitol which causes an over-release of insulin which can cause organ failure.               

Caffeine: In large enough quantities can be fatal to dogs. There is no antidote for this, so be careful.

This is just a short list of human foods that are potentially hazardous for your dog. Check out the resources below for more foods, and more detail. I hope this offers some insight the next time you think about giving sparky some table scraps! There are plenty of items that are ok to share with your pets, but we will save that for another day!!



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