If you love your dog and want them to live the longest, healthiest life possible, it is critical that you know the what you should and what you should not be feeding to them. Dogs have different metabolism compared to humans and feeding them with foods that we enjoy can be very fatal.
Here are some of the common food items that should not be given to your dogs, as they have been found to be either directly or indirectly “toxic” to them:
Chocolate, coffee, tea and other caffeine
Chocolate contains theobromine, a naturally occurring stimulant found in the cocoa bean. This compound is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic. It increases urination and affects the central nervous system. Theobromine will either increase the dog’s heart rate or may cause the heart to beat irregularly. It is very important to remember that dogs and puppies do not have the ability as we humans do to digest that simple chemical found in chocolate.
Grapes and raisins
Grapes and raisins should be avoided as pet snacks as thay can cause the dog to develop a sudden development of kidney failure with anuria (a lack of urine production).
Raw eggs
Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin. This enzyme decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin) which can lead to skin and hair coat problems.
Tobacco
Tobacco (from cigarettes and cigars or their butts, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, nicotine patches, and nicotine gum) contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. This can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.
Onions and Garlic
These contain thiosulphate, which can damage red blood cells and cause a form of anemia called Heinz body anemia, where your pet’s red blood cells burst while circulating in its body.
Macadamia Nuts
The effect of macadamia nuts is to cause locomotory difficulties. Dogs develop a tremor of the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters. Affected dogs are often unable to rise and are distressed, usually panting.
Raw Fish
Feeding your dogs raw fish regularly can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death.
Alcoholic Beverages
Feeding your dogs alcoholic beverages can result to intoxication, urination problems, coma or death from alcohol poisoning. Remember that your pet is smaller than you are, so even a small amount is very lethal.
Potato, rhubarb, and tomato leaves; potato and tomato stems
The starchy white flesh inside potatoes is not harmful, but potato face green and any green sprouts or “eyes” contain the alkaloid solanum which is poisonous to dogs and humans. The stems and leaves of tomatoes and rhubarb contain oxalates, which can cause bladder stones.
Yeast Dough
Yeast dough is designed to expand and when eaten by your pet, it can expand in your dog’s warm stomach and produce gas in the digestive system. This causes extreme pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.
