There are various foods which are poisonous to dogs. Unfortunately, there are several others that we don’t know and are incredibly harmful. Below is a list of popular foods which damage dogs.
Toxic Aliments:
Hot chocolate/caffeine
Chocolate contains theobromine, a cardiac
stimulant agent that is also a diuretic.
After your cat consumed a significant amount of chocolate, many pet owners believe that their pet is unaffected. Nevertheless, for many hours the symptoms of illness might not be noticed, with death following within twenty-four hours. Symptoms include staggering, breathing difficulty, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, tremors, fatigue, elevated heart, arrhythmia, coma, death.
The most toxic forms are cocoa powder and hot chocolate. If a 10-kilogram dog eats a quarter of a 250gm packet of cocoa powder or half of a 250gm cooked chocolate block, it can be seriously affected. Both kinds of chocolate contain ten times as much theobromine as chocolate milk. Thus, for a small dog, a chocolate mud cake may pose a real health danger. Just leaking out a large part of a cake’s chocolate icing will make a dog get sick.
The next most dangerous types are semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate, with the least dangerous being the milk chocolate. To be affected, a dog needs to eat more than 250gm of milk chocolate block. Of course, the smaller the dog, the less it has to chew.
Onions/Garlic
Onions and garlic contain thiosulphate, which is a toxic ingredient. Onions constitute more of a danger.
Pets affected by onion toxicity will develop haemolytic anaemia, in which the red blood cells of the pet burst while circulating in the body. Symptoms include hemolytic anaemia, hard breathing, damage to the liver, vomiting, diarrhoea and discoloured urine.
The poisoning happens a couple of days after the pet has consumed the onion. All types of onion, including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions and garlic, can be troublesome. Leftover pizza, Chinese dishes and commercial onion-containing baby foods, often fed to young pets as a substitute, may cause illness.
Although garlic also contains thiosulphate as a toxic element, it appears that garlic is less harmful, and large quantities will need to be consumed to cause illness.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms toxicity happens in dogs, and it can be deadly if such mushroom types are consumed. Amanita phalloides is the most widely recorded extreme toxic species of mushroom in the United States, but certain species of Amanita are poisonous. Symptoms include stomach pain, drooling, damage to the liver, kidney damage, diarrhoea, vomiting, coma and death.
Grapes/Raisins
a handful of raisins or grapes can cause a dog to become ill. Symptoms include vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhoea, and lethargy.
Macadamia Nuts
A more issue is macadamia nuts, along with several other nuts. The high content of phosphorus is known to contribute to stones in the bladder potentially. Dogs develop skeletal muscle tremor and hindquarter weakness or paralysis. Affected dogs often can not get up and are distressed, usually panting. Some affected dogs have swollen limbs and exhibit pain when trying to manipulate the limbs.
NOTE: Dog owners must not believe that pets are always safe for consuming human food. If it comes to chocolate, onions, garlic and macadamia nuts, or not at all, these foods should be offered in only small quantities. Make sure your pets are unable to get into your candy stash, those food scraps are appropriately disposed of to avoid onion and garlic toxicity and that your dog is discouraged from digging up macadamia nuts when you have a tree in your yard.
Baby Food
Can contain onion powder which is potentially toxic to dogs. It May also cause nutritional deficiencies, if they are fed in large amounts.
Fishbones, poultry, or other meat sources: May cause digestive obstruction or laceration.
Cat food
Cat food is usually too rich in fats and protein.
Fat Trimmings
Can cause pancreatitis.
Milk and other dairy products
Adult dogs and cats, much like some humans, are lactose-intolerant. They don’t have enough of the lactase enzyme, which breaks down the lactose in the milk. That can lead to diarrhoea. Milk products which are free of lactose are available for pets.
Raw Eggs
Contain an enzyme called avidin that reduces biotin absorption (a B vitamin). That can lead to problems with the skin and hair coat. Raw eggs can contain salmonella, as well.
Raw Fish
Can result in a deficiency of thiamine (a B vitamin) leading to loss of appetite, seizures and death in extreme cases. More prevalent if it feeds regularly on raw fish.
Holiday Plants
With holiday plants, pet owners need to take special care. As the holidays roll around, we always get swept up in the excitement and don’t know we might bring anything hazardous for your pets into your home. Be mindful of what dangerous vacation decorations can be and avoid transforming a fun occasion into a sad one.
Poinsettias
These plants are possibly the most common holiday plant, and their massive red, white, pink or mottled leaves are easily recognizable. These plants often produce a thick, sticky, milky sap. In general, ingestion of a large quantity of this plant will take you to see possible clinical signs in your pet. Symptoms may include diarrhoea, depression and anorexia. The signs are usually self-limiting and seldom require medication. Your Vet may recommend that you limit food and water intake for 1 or 2 hours if your pet is suspected of getting sick after poinsettia ingestion.
Easter Lilies
Some members of the plant family Lilly can cause serious illness in cats. In particular, it has been reported that Easter Lilies, tiger lilies, Japanese show lilies, other lily hybrids, and daylilies cause kidney failure.
Toxic Plants
We need to be mindful of what we are exposing our pets to when we let our dogs play freely in and out of the house. Several plants are toxic to dogs both inside and outside our homes.
Some times we intentionally share food with our dogs; at some times, it’s by mistake. Some of the food we eat is nutritious and safe for dogs; however, other food can be unhealthy. So, it’s important to understand what your dog can eat and not. Below are some common dog-friendly and dog-dangerous foods; however, it is not intended to be a comprehensive list. As always, you must check with your veterinarian before putting any new food on your dog.
Some Good Foods
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a healthy, moderate treat for your dog. It’s a smart way to mask a pill when you decide to give your dog medicine.
Cheese
Cheese is usually healthy and relatively yummy food for dogs.
Popcorn
Popcorn is another excellent treatment for as long as it is used in moderation. It is fibre-high. The best form is air-popped, with no preservatives.
Carrot
Organic
carrots do well for dogs. Always be sure that they are adequately chewed to
prevent vomiting so that your dog doesn’t fill up too much and lacks a
well-balanced diet.