We know it’s arduous to resist the puppy-face that our canine companions make at the dinner table just to get a bite or two out of your plate. Of course, they will want a share in all your things including food, and many pet-owners might even fall victim to their fur buddy’s adorable begging tactics. That’s why it is important to grasp a few common foods that we humans generally eat but which can prove to be toxic for dogs. Food has also been found to be one of the major causes of food poisoning in pets over years. That’s another important reason why you should know about such food items before you share your bites with your furry pals. But before we refer to the list of food items that may not be appropriate for your furry companions, it is important to know why they can be harmful to dogs.
Why your human-foods can’t always be safe for dogs?
The food that we humans generally eat may not be perfectly suitable for dogs. Some human foods may be poisonous or toxic to dogs, so you should never feed to your dog. The reason behind this is their ‘metabolism’. A dog’s metabolic processes are way different than a human’s. Due to different metabolic processes, the time required by them to convert food into energy is also different. That is why everything that you eat may not be appropriate for your dogs.
List of foods you should avoid giving your dogs:
Here’s a list of foods that we humans generally eat in our routine diet but are unsafe for a dog’s consumption:
Grapes/Raisins:
There’s a potentially toxic substance in grapes, raisins, and currants which is very fatal for dogs. Although there’s no information obtained about this poisonous substance, ingestion of even a small quantity of raisins has reported to be deadly for canines. Therefore, always keep your fruit basket out of your fur babe’s reach, especially if it has grapes or currants!
Chocolate/Caffeine:
No matter how much we humans love chocolates, it’s a big no-no for dogs. Chocolates contain Methylxanthines and caffeine which are very harmful for a dog’s metabolism and even a small amount of chocolate can cause them diarrhea or vomiting. The darker the chocolate, the more is the methylxanthine content. Hence, dark chocolate is very lethal to dogs whereas a small amount of milk or white chocolate consumption may not do much harm. However, it is always advisable to keep chocolates and caffeine-containing products away from dogs.
Garlic:
As such all the plants from the Allium family (like leeks, onions, and chives) contain thiosulfates, but garlic has the highest thiosulfate concentration of all. Thiosulfates can damage dogs’s red blood cells (RBC’s) and can result in canine anemia. It can also cause gastrointestinal irritations and stomach upsets. Therefore, it is always advisable to keep these items at the bay.
Xylitol:
Xylitol is a plant-based sweetener, commonly found in candies, sweets, and drinks labeled as “sugar-free”. It can cause secretion of insulin, and an increase in insulin can result in lowering of sugar levels causing hypoglycemia which can lead to vomiting and lethargy. In adverse cases, the toxicosis can even result in seizures and liver failure.
Alcohol:
A pet owner should always ensure that a pet shouldn’t be given alcohol under any circumstances. Alcoholic beverages or any food items containing alcohol can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, breathlessness, tremors, coma, and even death. If you ever suspect that your dog has accidentally ingested alcohol, contact your vet immediately. And for such emergencies, we would advise you to keep your vet’s contact on speed-dial to avoid panicking.
Uncooked Bread Dough:
The unbaked bread dough’s key ingredient is yeast, which has a tendency to rise (due to the production of ethanol and carbon dioxide gas) upon fermentation. If your dog consumes bread dough, it may rise in their stomach causing accumulation of gas in the gut and can lead to the bloating of stomach which can be very painful to them. Also, the ethanol (alcohol) produced upon fermentation can make a dog drunk.
Citrus Fruits:
Citrus fruits contain a high concentration of citric acids which can damage the central nervous system of dogs if ingested in a considerable amount. However, ingestion of a small quantity of fruits may not harm a dog beyond minor irritations and stomach upsets.
Salty Snacks or Salt:
Salt gives ‘taste’ to any food item in the world but if gulped down by a dog it can lead to excessive urination and thirst. Ingestion of raw salt may also lead to sodium ion poisoning in pets. Always avoid feeding them snacks having high salt content like fries, chips, pretzels, salted bacon/meat, popcorns, etc to avoid any consequences that may follow.
Raw/Uncooked Meat:
Any kind of raw meat has a potential threat of causing bacterial infections in dogs. Raw and uncooked meat contains bacteria like Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp that can be harmful to dogs. Infections with such bacteria may cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach upsets.
Raw Eggs:
Eggs can be a great source of nutrition for dogs but raw eggs are again something that should never be given to a dog. It contains an enzyme called ‘avidin’ which can decrease the absorption of Vitamin B and the deficiency of Vitamin B can lead to skin and coat problems in dogs. Therefore, if you want to keep your furry pal’s coat healthy do not feed them raw eggs.
The Take-home Note:
Apart from the ones mentioned above; apple, avocado, chewing gums, tobacco, sugar, pepper, corn cobs, bones, nuts, peaches and plum pits, hops, almonds, etc can cause negative effects on dogs and are unsafe for their consumption. Nonetheless, this list may not cover all the food items that are toxic to dogs so always keep an eye on what your paw-buddy is munching upon, and beware of falling for that puppy face when it comes to sharing food.
Also, your pup’s meals may not provide all the essential nutrients. So, make sure you are also including supplements to their diet. Check out BudgetPetCare for a wide range of dog supplements at the lowest prices to take the best care of your dog.