We often treat our dogs like part of the family, so sometimes it’s easy to forget that some foods we eat can be dangerous, even deadly, to dogs. Whether you’re feeding your dogs table scraps or they’re digging through the garbage, being aware of these dangerous foods will help prevent unfortunate accidents.
CHOCOLATE
Chocolate is dangerous because it contains theobromine, a substance that dogs metabolize very slowly. When theobromine builds up in the body, it can harm the heart, central nervous system, and kidneys.
RAISINS AND GRAPES
While it is unclear exactly what substance in grapes and raisins causes the problems, there are many documented cases of dogs experiencing acute kidney problems after eating even a handful of grapes or raisins.
AVOCADO
Avocado is another toxic fruit. The pit, which most dogs would think was something fun to chew on, is especially poisonous. In fact, a good rule of thumb with all seeds or pits is that if we remove them from the fruit or vegetable before eating, then they’re probably not healthy for dogs.
ONIONS AND GARLIC
Both onions and garlic contain the toxic chemical thiosulphate. As thiosulphate levels build up in a dog’s body, they cause severe problems with the body’s red blood cells. Dogs can become ill after either eating one large amount of onion or regular smaller meals containing onions. All forms of onions are equally dangerous, whether they are raw, cooked, or included in a recipe, one reason to be especially careful with table scraps. Onions contain more of the toxic ingredient than garlic. While the potential for illness still exists, a dog would have to eat much larger quantities of garlic to become dangerously ill.
NUTS
Most nuts by themselves aren’t inherently dangerous. Macadamia nuts, however, contain an unknown chemical that causes motor problems like tremors and weakness in dogs. It’s not usually fatal, but it’s an unpleasant condition. Also, if you ever set out bowls of large, unshelled nuts, don’t put them in reach of your pets. Dogs can swallow a large nut while trying to chew it and choke.
MEAT AND POULTRY BONES
While eating meat and poultry doesn’t provide a very balanced diet for a dog, that isn’t truly dangerous. Leftover bones can become lethal if they splinter and create sharp edges while your dog is chewing on them. Poultry bones are the most prone to splintering, but meat bones aren’t completely safe, either, so buying your dog a good chew toy is the best way to go.
LIVER
A little bit of liver can be a nutritious treat. Too much liver can cause a dangerous overdose of vitamins A & D, in addition to causing diarrhea.
DAIRY PRODUCTS
Milk and cheese aren’t toxic to dogs, but they can cause diarrhea, something no pet owner wants to deal with.
DRINKS
In all of this talk of food, don’t overlook some beverages that can be dangerous to dogs. You should never allow a dog to drink even the smallest amount of alcohol. Someone may think it’s funny to “get the dog drunk,” but it’s highly dangerous. Coffee, tea and other caffeinated drinks are also dangerous to dogs because high levels of caffeine are poisonous. The smaller the dog, the more poisonous caffeine is because the toxicity level depends on an animal’s weight.
