
Toxic Foods For Dogs
If you often give into those puppy dog eyes and toss your dogs a bit of the food you’re eating, you should be careful. Dog’s have their own healthy dog food that you can buy from places like PetSmart for a reason—there are many human foods that are actually toxic for dogs. If your dogs consume these, it can result in an upset stomach, diarrhea, and in severe cases, death. Here are the toxic foods you should keep away from your furry friend:
1. Chocolate
While humans love to indulge in a sweet piece of chocolate, your dog will not like to do the same. Chocolate is poisonous to dogs due to the stimulant theobromine—this is toxic and can result in kidney failure if your dog ingests it. Dark chocolate has the highest contents of theobromine, but all chocolate should be kept away from your pet.
2. The onion family
Onions, garlic, chives, leeks, and shallots are all part of the onion family. While these can provide great flavor to your meals, if you drop some on the floor while chopping it up, don’t call your dog over to clean up the food. The onion family is toxic to dogs, if consumed, it can result in red blood cell damage and gastrointestinal irritation. The symptoms of illness may not show up until a few days later, so you should take your dog to the vet regardless of if they’re showing signs.
3. Macadamia nuts
Macadamia nuts, if consumed by dogs, can cause inflammation of the pancreas, weakness, panting, swollen limbs, and even paralysis in the hind legs. While the paralysis will only last for a few days, it’s still important to avoid your dog ingesting any macadamia nuts as it can be a frightening experience for you and your dog.
4. Xylitol artificial sweetener
Many healthy sweets, chewing gums, and beverages contain artificial sweeteners that allow you to get a sweet treat without the unhealthy sugar and calories. However, you should check the ingredients list for xylitol. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener found in many products, and if your dog ingests it, they can experience hypoglycemia (deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream) that can then result in liver failure and blood clotting issues.
5. Grapes and raisins
It is unknown which ingredient in grapes and raisins is toxic to dogs, but we do know the consumption of either can result in severe liver damage and kidney failure. It doesn’t matter what form the fruit is in, both can have the same effect and be fatal to your dog, so be careful when eating these that you don’t leave them unattended or drop any.
If your dog has consumed any of these foods, even in small amounts, you should take them to the vet immediately. Consuming toxic foods can be fatal for dogs, so you won’t want to take the risk in assuming they’re okay.