The comprehensive list of 27 Toxic and Dangerous foods to avoid feeding your dogs.
There are also reasons why they are forbidden to consume. Most dog owners know ingesting chocolates is very toxic for their dogs. But did you know there are more foods you should avoid feeding? Not only can these foods cause significant health issues, but they can also be extremely dangerous to your canine companions.
The good news? You can avoid all when preparing and storing food.
Chocolate
Chocolates are, for sure, the most loved and enjoyed; their savory taste is delicious, but unfortunately, for our loved furry friends, that is not the case.
Chocolate, especially the dark varieties, consists of theobromine and is potentially hazardous to dogs.
All Types of Chocolates
It is in all types of chocolate, but in darker varieties, there is a higher amount. Unlike humans, dogs cannot metabolize theobromine as quickly as we do. If untreated, it will lead to a buildup of toxins in the dog’s body.
Your dog may display symptoms like extreme vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst and a disrupted heart rhythm. It is fatal in some situations.
Garlic And Onion
Avoiding Garlic, onions or any plant species from the “Allium” family as they can be very toxic to your furry friend. These include chives, leeks, shallots, and other varieties.
While Garlic and onions add flavour to our food, they are NOT suitable for dogs.
Ingesting them will damage red blood cells and create a condition known as hemolytic anemia. Simply put, the red blood cells are broken down and destroyed utterly.
Anemia
Hemolytic anemia symptoms can range from being unable to breathe correctly to excessive weakness and extreme vomiting. If left untreated, the dog will collapse from a lack of oxygen as the red blood cells cannot carry enough oxygen throughout the entire body.
Avocado
While avocados are considered a high-protein food for humans, your dog should stay away from them as they could make the dog very sick.
Avocados are the worst foods for your dog to consume.
Why?
First, the pit of avocados is a choking hazard. Second, an Avocado contains the chemical Persin in large quantities in the fruit leaves, bark, and seeds. It is highly toxic and, when offered to your dog, can be detrimental to his health. The amount of people is very high. Keep your dog away if you have an avocado plant in your backyard.
Grapes And Raisins
Although the reason is still unclear, grapes and raisins are considered risky in dogs. Scientists have suggested if consumed could lead to kidney failure, even in minuscule amounts.
Family
Ensure that the entire family knows the consequences these fruits can have on your dog’s health. Always be around children when eating them as it is playing with the dog.
Vet Care
If your dog ends up accidentally consuming them, he could display signs of being hyper for the first few days and fall into a state of being lethargic. If your dog has finished grapes or raisins and displays these signs, ensure you take him to the vet immediately, as it can affect his kidneys quickly.
Persimmon
Persimmons are not found in Canada & US as they are in Asia. There appear to be certain native varieties that will grow well in California, where there is the continued sun.
Researchers suggest that persimmons contain a chemical that, when consumed, will react with the stomach acids and create a glue-like mass that can destroy or obstruct the dog’s intestine. The seed and pit of the persimmon could also cause intestinal blockage.
So if you notice pits and seeds in your dog’s poop, take them to a vet.
Cooked Bone
Could bones be harmful to your dog? Dogs have always been lovers of bones.
If you are looking to treat your dog with a bone, you need to ensure the bone is not brittle, as cooked bones usually are and are very dangerous to dogs as they can get lodged and cause significant issues.
Splinters
The splinters can break off easily and damage your dog’s teeth, not to mention pierce an intestine and can get logged in their throat.
There are much safer and healthier options, such as raw bones or bones as treats.
Sugar-Free Human Food
Can Sugar-free human products be healthy treats for dogs? No, You’re mistaken. Avoid sugar as the ingredient in Xylitol in these sugar-free sweet treats, which is highly toxic to dogs. The ingredient Xylitol is a sweetener that humans consume, such as candies, mentos candy, Jell-O, Chewing Gum, Peanut butter and many others.
Xylitol
If ingested, Xylitol causes your dog’s insulin level to increase, decreasing its blood sugar level quickly. It causes hypoglycemia that badly impacts your dog’s liver—the symptoms of liver failure can range from being sluggish to vomiting and seizures to balance.
It can be fatal if not treated and immediately seen by a vet.
Apple Seed
Are you aware that apple seeds can be toxic to your beloved dog? The answer is a big YES, as the casing of the Apple seeds contains a natural chemical that will release cyanide when a dog digests it.
It could poison the dog slowly and cause a weakened digestive system. When offering pieces of apple to your dog, get rid of the casing and seeds while offering small bite-size pieces.
Coffee
Why can coffee give you energy when consumed in the early morning? The reason is the caffeine in coffee is what gives power. However, if your dog was to sip coffee accidentally, it can be dangerous. It can lead to a rapid heart rate and may, lead to Heart palpitations and muscular tremors.
Macadamia Nut
Many cookies and candies contain macadamia nuts, and as harmless as they may seem, they are not suitable for your dog. Research has shown that even tiny amounts are enough to make your dog sick. If ingested, watch for symptoms of the dog feeling lethargy, weakness, and depression.
Accidents
If your dog accidentally consumes these nuts more significantly, it could display signs of poisoning ranging from hypothermia to life-threatening tremors and more severe issues. However, the symptoms of consuming macadamia poisoning may not surface until 12 hours later, so it is vital to keep an eye on your dog and schedule an appointment to see a vet if issues get worse.
Raw Eggs
Studies on feeding dogs raw eggs highlight the number of protein dogs can receive from them. However, there is a high risk of food poisoning if your dog consumes a diet of raw eggs as they may contain Salmonella or E.coli bacteria, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Most commercial eggs arrive coated with wax, harmful chemicals that help keep the eggs looking fresh. Raw eggs contain the same nutrition as cooked eggs, so it’s best not to risk your dog becoming sick. So, why take the risk of causing severe issues?
Fatty Foods
Do you feed your dog table scraps? You should avoid offering fatty foods, like bacon, ham, and meat trimmings, to your dog. These kinds of food lead to unnecessary weight gain in dogs and harm the dog’s digestive system. Also, they are high in fat and could cause pancreatitis in dogs, with symptoms including vomiting, belly pains and extreme diarrhea.
Salt
These types of meat have a high salt content that will disrupt the balance of a dog’s stomach. Your pup will tend to feel thirsty and drink more water than it should. It will also lead to bloating, which can be fatal.
Cheeses
We all have fed our dogs a piece or two of cheese on l occasion. All dogs lack an enzyme that breaks down milk products. Many dogs are lactose intolerant and should be on a Lactose-Free diet which will help with digestive issues like bloating and diarrhea. The dogs will exhibit many gastrointestinal issues when dogs consume milk products such as cheese, curds, and butter. Also, cheese is high in fat, which can also lead to pancreatitis in dogs. So, it is best if you avoid it.
Sugary Foods
There is also a theory that if your dog is not consuming Candies, Sweet Treats, Gummies or spoonfuls of sugar in her diet, it could create the same damage if not eaten enough as the body needs. Sugar moves through body cells via blood in a form called glucose. Also, dogs can get a sugar high that can cause them to be hyper and not focused.
Sugar is Dangerous
When the sugar high is over, they will experience a sugar drop that will cause sleepiness, creating irritability and mood swings. These highs and lows can harm their liver and cause diabetes in your dog. So, read all labels and don’t give your dog too much sugar.
Chewing Gum
When we talk about Chewing Gum or a child’s favourite gummy, dogs should not consume them as they can cause many issues. The reason is why Chewing Gum can cause bowel obstruction consumed by your dog.
Gum is Toxic
Also, most Gum contains Xylitol, a highly toxic sweetener to your dog’s health. If your dog accidentally swallowed Gum, it could experience liver failure, so it is vital to take him to your vet for investigation. Always keep all gummy candies and sweet treats far away from your beloved dog.
Yeast
Avoid rising dough bread on the kitchen counter as dogs are known to prop up and investigate what smells so good. Your dog has mastered the art of grabbing healthy treats from above, no matter how high, but if he ingests dough bread containing yeast, it could be a hazard to his health.
Dough
Yeast can cause issues with your dog as he will start feeling boated as the dough continues to rise, even in his stomach. Also, your dog will experience pain as the dough expands, which may cause a blockage within his intestines.
Corn On A Cob
While corn continues to be the most used filler in dog food and treats, it is best to avoid corn on the cob as it causes high sugar and stomach bloating. Firstly, it is a choking hazard for dogs.
Secondly, it is best to keep a lookout to ensure the dog is not ingesting the actual cob after eating the corn. These could lead to blockage in the intestines and also cause digestive issues. A few inches of cob could be a problem, as I need help correctly viewing it in an X-ray.
Salty Foods
When feeding your dog, ensure to buy salt-free food as it is unhealthy for your dog’s health. Many people think that popcorn and pretzels are the culprits to your dog’s stomach issues, but the real culprit is the amount of salt that popcorn contains. A dog consuming salt in its diet can cause sodium ion poisoning in the blood. Dogs will urinate more often and feel thirstier as a result. Symptoms can range from diarrhea to seizures and elevated body temperature to bloating.
Cat Food
Feeding your dog cat food is not advisable. Cat food is explicitly for cats as it has high amounts of protein and can be digested better in cats. These amounts could be much higher than your dog can tolerate, so it is best to avoid them altogether.
Raw Fish
Fish contains an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids but be careful when feeding your furry friend, as salmon and trout can be toxic to your dog. Salmon carries a parasite named Nanophyetus Salmonella. This parasite is a type of bacteria that is fatal to dogs. Signs of salmon poisoning in dogs will appear within six days of eating the infected fish.
Symptoms
The symptoms may include no appetite, Fever, Diarrhea, Lethargy, Vomiting, and Dehydration in dogs and can be fatal if left untreated for more than one week. So, if you plan to offer your dog salmon with rice for a weeknight dinner, please think twice before you do. However, you can cook salmon at high temperatures to kill the parasite.
Liver
Feeding your dog or puppy too much liver can affect his bones and muscles. Although the liver is a dog’s favourite treat, it can also contain liver extracts, but be careful not to feed a high amount as it can cause nutritional problems. The liver has higher amounts of Vitamin A can lead to toxicity or hypervitaminosis in the body. Three servings of cooked liver given to a dog per week can cause issues with his bones.
Symptoms of hyper-vitaminosis can cause bones to deform. It can also cause weight loss and anorexia. If your dog has any symptoms, have the dog seen by your vet immediately.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are poisonous as they are in humans; if you consume the wrong types, they can impact your pet dog. Feeding them a variety of mushrooms could lead to slow poisoning. Some varieties of mushrooms are highly toxic.
Chives
Chives add a punch to bland foods but are one of the worst foods you could offer your pet dog. Whether raw, cooked or powdered, they are highly toxic for your dog to eat. Chives are known to contain both disulphides and sulfoxides that lead to anemia and cause damage to the dog’s red blood cells.
Peaches And Plums
Just like Persimmons, Peaches and Plums are unsafe and toxic to dogs to consume whole unless you core and chop them up yourself and remove the pit, which is highly toxic. The pit casing and the seeds release cyanide when finished. The dog cannot remove the hard nut from the fruit while eating it. To avoid a painful intestinal blockage, remove peaches and plums when they fall from your trees.
Tomatoes
A tomato plant’s vines, stems, and leaves contain an alkaloid atropine that can make a dog very sick if ingested in large amounts—the symptoms they cause range from Drooling, Weakness, Constricted Breathing, Diarrhea, Constipation and Paralysis. Avoid offering ripe red tomatoes to your dog.
Alcohol
Absolutely No! Getting your dog drunk and watching it entertain you and your friends on the weekend is not funny or acceptable. Alcohol, when ingested, can have a moderate to severe impact on the dog’s nervous system and disrupt the balance.
Baby Food
Baby food contains traces of onion or garlic powder, which is toxic to dogs. Always refer to the nutritional dog food label before feeding your dog. Also, dogs and puppies have different nutritional needs. Puppy food does not contain the kind of nutrition that your dog needs. It might be deprived of its essential requirements to grow.
Final Thoughts – Not All Foods Are Safe For Your Dog
Now that you know the type of food you should avoid giving your dog, we can only hope you do your best to provide better alternatives as treats. While looking to reward good behaviour, you could limit them to once or twice a week and look to buy Treats that are one ingredient, so it will be easier to rule out allergies.
The best possible food is always a healthy home-cooked meal with minimal spices and much love.
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