Keep away from the Dangerous Food to Your Dog
2008-08-25

Keep away from the Dangerous Food to Your Dog

Dangerous food to dogs As a dog owner, we all want what's best for our dog. Dog food needs more safety inspection among other pet supplies. More and more dog owners are giving their dog table scraps without realizing that there are certain foods a dog should never have. It’s dangerous. Before you put your leftovers in your dog's bowl be sure to familiarize yourself with the top human food culprits: • Chocolate - To dogs, chocolate acts as a stimulant, making your dog's heartbeat accelerate or beat irregularly, leading to seizures and even cardiac arrest. To compound things further, it also acts as a severe diuretic, causing frequent urination, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. If you even suspect your dog has consumed chocolate, take him to an animal hospital immediately. • Grapes and Raisins - Grapes and raisins create havoc with your dog's kidneys and digestive system. What's worse is that the amount of grapes needed to cause problems can vary greatly among individual dogs. Symptoms include frequent urination, vomiting, and diarrhea. • Onions - Onions cause the breakdown of a dog's red blood cells, which deprives his cells of much-needed oxygen. If you're in the habit of feeding your dog table scraps, make sure the dish was not prepared with onions, as the effects can be cumulative over a period of time. Symptoms can vary greatly, ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to loss of appetite, fever, or exhaustion. •Macadamia Nuts - While the exact chemical compound is still unknown, even a small amount of macadamia nuts can cause fever, irregular heartbeat, seizures, or mild paralysis. • Alcoholic Beverages - Dogs' physiologies are not equipped to handle alcohol consumption. They are extremely susceptible to alcohol poisoning, and even small amounts can lead to digestive problems or even death. • Bread Dough - Because it is soft, dogs will often swallow the dough without chewing it. When the dough hits your dog's stomach, his body heat will cause the dough to rise inside his stomach. This rising action can cause bloating or vomiting. To compound things further, the rising action creates alcohol as a by-product, and your dog may experience the symptoms listed in the previous paragraph. • Caffeinated Beverages - Similar to the effects of chocolate, caffeine is a stimulant and can negatively impact your dog's heart rate, causing seizures or heart attacks. • Avocadoes- Avocadoes are toxic to many animals. The offensive chemical damages heart, lung, and other essential tissues. Be aware since guacamole's main ingredient is avocado, that you keep any such dips well out of your dog's reach. • Pitted Fruits - (Peaches, Pears, Cherries, and Apricots) The pits of these fruits contain small doses of cyanide, which can be fatal to smaller dogs. Also, if the pit is swallowed whole, it may become lodged in the intestinal tract, where the blockage will have to be surgically removed. • Raw Fish - Raw fish, especially salmon, can contain parasites, usually fluke larvae. The dog consumes the fish, and the larvae hatch in your dog's digestive tract, attaching themselves to his intestinal walls. Symptoms can take up to a week to exhibit and usually mimic other canine diseases, such as distemper or parvovirus. • Milk - owing to the lack of lactase, consumption may lead to bloating, gas, diarrhea and other digestive upsets. • Xylitol - this can lead to liver failure through the over-release of insulin, vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination. It does not take long to see signs of nearing liver failure - only a few days. Be very careful as this substance in a wide range of products, such as candy, chewing gum, toothpaste and baked goods. • Mushrooms- Various species of mushrooms are toxic to dogs, and can cause shock and death. Effects will differ depending on the type ingested, but avoid feeding any type. Pluck "backyard mushrooms" that might sprout on the lawn, as these are known to be toxic to canines. This list is, of course, incomplete because we can not possibly list everything dogs should not eat. We should learn continually in everyday life.

Tips you should pay attention to: •Check the food you are sharing carefully. Many of these ingredients are tucked away in cookies, bread, cake, preserves and other processed foods. It is really important to be aware of what you are feeding your canine companion so that you can avoid these problem foods. •Show children this list and teach them early what they can and cannot feed their dog(s). •Minimize snacks from the human table. It encourages poor manners from both the dog and the human and it blurs the line between what is good food for the animal and what is not. Start out right and keep it right. •Always consult a veterinarian before introducing your dog to any new food item. Contact your vet immediately if you see any signs of weakness, poisoning, lack of coordination, lethargy, frothing or any other unusual behavior after consuming any of these foods. Delay can be fatal so do not hesitate. •Always place table scraps and other garbage in a secure container, where the dog can't get to it. •Never allow your dog to eat food or treats he finds on the ground in public. Be sure that even though a certain food is non-toxic to you, this does not mean that the food is non-toxic to your dog. Certain foods that cause no harm to humans can be lethal to canines.