Human foods that are harmful to dogs

No matter how much you like avocado or guacamole, you shouldn’t ever give it to your dog. Avocados contain a substance called ‘persin’. It’s harmless for humans who aren’t allergic. But large amounts might be toxic to your dog. So keep that summer avocado dip away from your pooch this summer. If you happen to be growing avocados at home, keep your dog away from the plants. Persin is also in the leaves, seed, and bark of the plant, as well as in the fruit.

This is an obvious one, and we all know that dog owners do not intentionally give booze to their pets. But on occasions garden guests may leave a glass of their unwanted beer on the lawn or patio and of course this will be in reach of your dog. Beer, spirits, wine, and even foods containing alcohol is not good for your dog. This is because alcohol has the same effect on a dog’s liver and brain that it has on humans. But for dogs, it takes far less time to do damage. Just a little alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, central nervous system depression, problems with coordination, difficulty breathing, coma and even death. And the smaller the is dog, the greater the effect.

So keep all alcoholic drinks out of reach of your dog, Also make sure fruit juice drinks laced with spirits are cleared away too, as your dog may like a sip of the fruit juice but may not detect the booze inside it.

Onions and garlic in all forms are harmful to your dog. Whether it’s raw, powdered, cooked or dehydrated they can destroy a dog’s red blood cells, leading to anaemia. Onion powder can even be found in some baby foods which are great for baby but not for your dog. An occasional small dose of onion or garlic is probably okay but it should never be fed to your dog regularly or in large amounts.

Even by eating one large amount at once can cause poisoning in your dog. Symptoms of anaemia, brought on by onion or garlic poisoning includes weakness, vomiting, little interest in their food, dullness, and breathlessness. As we use onions and garlic in a lot of dishes, think twice before scraping that left over pasta sauce in your dogs bowl.

Not many dog owners would put the kettle on and make a cuppa for their dog but caffeine in large enough quantities can be fatal for a dog. And there is no antidote for caffeine poisoning. Symptoms of caffeine poisoning include restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, muscle tremors, fits, and bleeding. So don’t leave you half finished cuppa on the floor. Coffee and tea that has sugar, milk or cream will be very tempting to your dog so keep it out of reach.

Dropped takeaway coffee cups in the street may also entice your dog to wander over lick up the remnants, so avoid such spills. In addition to tea and coffee (including coffee beans and ground coffee) caffeine can also be found in cocoa, chocolate, colas and stimulant drinks such as Red Bull. Caffeine is also in some human cold medicines and pain killers.

Grapes and raisins are given to small children as healthy alternatives to sweets which is good for them. But they have also often been used as treats for dogs which is not such a good idea. Although it isn’t clear why, grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. And just eating a small amount can make a dog ill. Symptoms include repeated vomiting is an early sign and within a day, the dog will become lethargic and even depressed. The best prevention is to keep grapes and raisins off counters and other places your dog can reach.

Raisins are also in abundance at Christmastime. Christmas cakes and mince pies are filled with large quantities of raisins and these baked goods should be kept well out of the dog’s reach.

Although a puppy is fed with it’s mothers milk when it’s very young, cows, sheep or goats milk is not good for your dog. Again summer will be filled with days out and about with milk shakes and ice cream as a regular treat. On a hot day, it may be tempting to share your ice cream cone with your dog to help them cool down, but you would be doing them more harm then good. Milk and milk based products can cause diarrhoea and other digestive upsets and disorders. Feeding them milk and dairy products can also set up food allergies and some allergies often manifest as itchiness in your dogs skin.

Most dogs love cheese. Unfortunately, it’s not all that good for them. While cheese and other dairy products are not poisonous to dogs (unless they’re mouldy, that is), they are difficult for dogs to digest. This is because dogs do not possess large amounts of lactase in their systems, which helps break down dairy.

Dogs should not eat macadamia nuts or foods containing macadamia nuts because they can be fatal. Did you know that as few as six raw or roasted macadamia nuts can make a dog very ill. Symptoms of nut poisoning include muscle tremors, weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters, vomiting, elevated body temperature, and a rapid heart rate. Eating chocolate (which is also bad for your dog) that includes macadamia nuts will make the symptoms worse, possibly leading to death. So what may be a healthy snack for you is a very dangerous snack for your dog.

Nowadays sweets, candies, bubble gum, chewing gum, toothpaste, baked goods, and some diet foods are sweetened with a chemical called ‘xylitol’. Xylitol is a natural sweetener and is used to sweeten some foods. In it’s natural state it can be found in berries, fruit, vegetables and mushrooms. It’s a lower calorie sweetner and though it’s good for humans and their teeth, it’s bad for dogs. If your dog eats any food that contains xylitol it can cause an increase in the insulin circulating through your dog’s body. That can cause your dog’s blood sugar to drop and can also cause liver failure. Initial symptoms include vomiting, lethargy, and loss of coordination. Eventually, the dog may have seizures and liver failure can occur within just a few days.

Even most humans are unaware of the inclusion of xylitol in their foods, so make sure your dog does not eat any sweet based foods to be on the safe side. We know that any responsible do owner is not going to feed sweets to their dog, but candy can be fed to your dog by children and sweets and used chewing gum can also be found on the pavements for you dog to eat.

Most owners know that chocolate is very bad for dogs. The toxic agent in chocolate is called theobromine. It’s in all kinds of chocolate products, even white chocolate includes theobromine as an ingredient . The most dangerous kinds of chocolate for dogs is actually dark chocolate, chocolate mulch, and unsweetened baking chocolate, which all have high percentages of cocoa and theobromine in them. If your dog eats chocolate, even just licking the chocolate frosting from the cake making bowl can cause a dog to vomit, have diarrhoea, and be excessively thirsty. Eating chocolate can also cause abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures, and even death. Such a delicious thing for humans is not good for dogs.

Be extra careful at Christmas and especially Easter when chocolate and chocolate eggs are in abundance. Make sure chocolate is never fed to you dog by children and keep it out of your dogs reach. Dogs are able to sniff out chocolate, even wrapped as a gift under the Christmas tree.

If you would like to give your dog a ‘chocolate’ treat there are dog friendly chocolate products made especially for dogs. These can come in the shape of buttons, which are great for feeding your dog as a treat. Don’t ever give them too many and always include this treat as part of their daily food allowance.

When preparing a meta based meal your table scraps can often contain meat, fat and bones. Many dog owners think nothing of throwing these scraps into their dos bowl. But you have to be careful as these are dangerous for dogs. Fat trimmed from meat, both cooked and even uncooked, can cause pancreatitis in dogs. And even though it seems very natural to ‘give a dog a bone’, a dog can choke on it if it greedily swallows a piece that it just can’t manage.

Bones also splinter and can cause an obstruction or lacerations of your dog’s digestive system, which can cause internal bleeding. Also watch out for chicken bones and chicken wings left on the pavements near takeaways. Litter bugs sometimes throw the inedible chicken remnants on the floor, and chicken bones have a tendency to splinter very easily and cause internal problems for your dog.

The problem with these particular fruits is the seeds or pits inside them. Even humans cannot eat them. The seeds from persimmons can cause inflammation of the small intestine in dogs which is very dangerous. They can also cause an intestinal obstruction. Internal obstruction is also a high possibility if a dog eats the hard inedible pit from a peach or plum. Plus, did you know that peach and plum pits contains cyanide, which is poisonous to both humans and dogs. The difference is humans know not to eat them. Dogs don’t. Look out for any that are strewn on the pavement and if you grow any of these fruits make sure the dropped fruit is always cleared away.

Although some sliced apple is good for your dog, the seeds and cores are not. The seeds contain traces of cyanide and are poisonous to your dog. When giving your dog any fruit, make sure it is prepared well and any stems, seeds or leaves are removed.

Figs are another danger. Figs have caused allergic reactions in some dogs. Also, the fig is grown on the Ficus tree (Ficus benjamina), which causes skin inflammation if your dog comes into contact with it. Ficus plants or trees also cause diarrhea and vomiting if your dog ingests them.

We have heard many a dog owner giving their dog a raw egg on a regular basis. They argue that it’s good for the dog and the dogs coat. There are two problems with giving your dog raw eggs. The first is the possibility of food poisoning from bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli. This type of food poisoning is very bad for humans, never mind your dog. The second danger is that an enzyme in raw eggs interferes with the absorption of a particular B vitamin, which a dog will need. Feeding your dog raw eggs and the lack of the essential B vitamin can cause skin problems and problems with your dog’s coat.

Raw egg whites can also cause biotin deficiency. Cooked eggs on the other hand is okay for your dog. If they are ill or recovering from anaesthetic a small portion of cooked scrambled eggs is great for them.

Raw meat and raw fish, just like raw eggs, can contain bacteria that causes food poisoning in dogs. This bacteria is harmful to humans too. To make things worse, certain kinds of raw fish such as salmon, trout, shad and sturgeon can contain a parasite that causes “fish disease” or “salmon poisoning disease.” If not treated, the disease can be fatal within two weeks. The first signs of illness are vomiting, fever, and big lymph nodes. By thoroughly cooking the fish will kill the parasite and it can then be fed to your dog.

High levels of salt can be found in a huge range of human foods. It’s not a good idea to share salty foods and snacks like chips or pretzels with your dog. Eating too much salt can cause excessive thirst and urination and can also lead to sodium ion poisoning. Symptoms of too much salt include vomiting, diarrhoea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, and seizures. It may even cause death. Keep all salty foods out of your dogs reach and avoid giving them your left overs, especially if you are a salt lover and have seasoned your meal with lots of salt. Dogs visiting the beach can run off and start drinking sea water if they are thirsty. Always take lots of fresh drinking water with you to avoid this.

Bacon is a very salty meat that can really cause problems for your dog. As mentioned above, too much salt can cause excessive thirst and urination and can also lead to sodium ion poisoning. The fat rind is also no good for your dog due to it’s high calorie content.

Many dogs have a sweet tooth. Like in humans too much sugar is bad for your dog. Excessive sugar intake can lead to obesity, bad teeth and other dental problems and possibly the onset of diabetes. Treating your dog for diabetes is a very expensive and on going treatment, so avoid such health problems by not feeding your dog sugary foods and drinks.

Some spicy foods can cause stomach upsets for humans, so imagine what that same food would do to a dog’s system? Not only would it contain onions and garlic, but it will also contain an array of different spices including chilli, which would be harmful to your dog and do them no good at all. Keep all take away leftovers out of the reach of your dog and dispose of them carefully, especially if your pet likes rifling through your bins!

It’s an odd one, we know, but before it’s baked, bread dough can be harmful to your dog. When making bread, we all know that the dough needs to rise. And that is exactly what it would do in your dog’s stomach if your dog happened to eat it. As it swells inside, the dough can stretch the dog’s abdomen and cause them severe pain. In addition, when the yeast ferments the dough to make it rise, it produces alcohol that can lead to alcohol poisoning in your dog. So when making bread and you leave the dough to rise or prove, make sure it’s not in your dogs reach.

You wouldn’t like to eat out of date, old or moldy food, so what makes you think your dog will? The bacteria in spoiled food contains all sorts of toxins that can be damaging to your dog’s health. Feed them the freshest and best, dog friendly human foods only. If you do happen to buy any lean meats on sale in the reduced section of your supermarket, make sure that you cook them that day and feed them to your pet. Or you can freeze the food on the day of purchase. Once thawed thoroughly it can then be cooked for your dog. Once thawed, never refreeze it.

Some dog owners can be tempted to use human medicines for their dogs when they are feeling under the weather. A half of an aspirin or a teaspoon of cough medicine can do harm. Some dog owners also think that by using human medicines will save them on vet bills. Wrong! It will only create large expensive vet bills if your dog becomes poisoned by your actions. Giving canines medicines and drugs commonly prescribed for humans is the most common cause of poisoning in dogs.

Just as you would do for your children, keep all medicines out of your dog’s reach. Dogs are nosey and can get everywhere, they can obtain dangerous medicines from low bathroom and kitchen cupboards, they can also take items off coffee tables, sideboards and even from your handbag. And, never give your dog any ‘over-the-counter’ medicines unless told to do so or prescribed by your vet. Ingredients such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen are common in pain relievers and cold medicines for humans. And, they can be deadly for your dog.

Many other items commonly found on kitchen shelves and used in cooking can harm your dog. For instance, baking powder and baking soda are both highly toxic to dogs. So are nutmeg and a whole range other spices if eaten by your dog. Keeping your food items high enough to be out of your dog’s reach and keeping any pantry doors closed will help protect your dog from serious food related illness. Remember, when you are out or not in your kitchen, your dog can explore and work out how to open fridges, doors and cupboards. Don’t under estimate a nosey and hungry dog!

Why not have a go at making your own doggie treats and meals? You will be surprised how many dog cookbooks have been published in the past few years. From small mutt munchies to making meals for your canine, you can cook them up a healthy meal, knowing full well what’s gone into it. Just let’s hope your dog actually eats it after you have gone to all that trouble…as we all know dogs can be your worst critic! There are some great dog recipe books that can inspire you and they also make a perfect quirky gift for any loving dog owner.