Chocolate is just one of many human foods that are toxic to man’s best friend. Actually the same foods are toxic to cat as well. Chocolate, macadamia nuts and onions are just a few of those foods. Back in the days when I was just a little shaver growing up on the farm, feeding table scraps to our dogs and cats was common, everyone did that, but today most experts agree that feeding our beloved companions human foods is a bad thing to do where their health and well being is concerned. The question is why are foods that are perfectly safe for human consumption dangerous for our four legged companions. Let’s take a closer look at the three that I listed above-chocolate, macadamia nuts and onions. But before I do that I want to make it perfectly clear that I’m not a veterinarian and I have written this article based on research and on what I’ve gleaned from conversations with my vet on the subject.
Chocolate
Chocolate, especially dark baker’s chocolate is especially toxic. A mere 2.5 ozs (ounces) of Coco or 5.5 ozs of Dark Bakers Chocolate can be fatal to a 20 to 25 pound dog. Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound which acts as a cardiac stimulant and as a diuretic. It also elevates blood pressure and causes nausea and vomiting. Chocolate also contains caffeine, a member of the same drug family, Methylanines, which is also toxic to our pets. Theobromine isn’t harmful to humans because we can metabolize it at a much faster rate than dogs. The half life of theobromine in dogs is about 17.5 hours. The fact that your pal has overdosed on chocolate is not immediately evident and may the symptoms of theobromine poisoning may not appear until hours later.
As a rule, signs of theobromine poisoning usually appear within twelve hours after ingestion. Some of the signs of having ingested a possibly fatal amount theobromine are
· Hyperactivity and/or nervousness
· Excessive thirst accompanied with possible excessive urination
· Muscular spasms
· Seizures
· Coma can occur but they are rare
· Death is rare and when it does occur it’s because of an already existing heart condition
There are no effective home treatments for theobromine poisoning. If you suspect that your best friend has gotten into the chocolate and is showing any of the above symptoms get him or her to the vet emergency room right away.
Onions and garlic
Onions and garlic contain a toxic substance called thiosulphate. The effects of thiosulphate are much more insidious then those of theobromine. Thiosulphate cause hemolytic anemia, a condition where the red blood cells burst while circulating through your pet’s body. Onions are much more dangerous than garlic because they contain a larger amount of thiosulphate. Onions in any form are extremely dangerous and the effects of thiosulphate poisoning usually begin to appear a few days after the poisoning took place. Some of the symptoms are
· Gastroenteritis with vomiting and diarrhea
· Loss of appetite and all interest in food
· Dull, glazed eyes
· Physical weakness
· Breathlessness
· Appearance of burst red blood cells in urine and fecal matter
A mere 20 ounces of raw onion can cause irreparable damage so if you suspect thiosulphate poisoning get your beloved pet to the vet emergency room right away.
Macadamia nuts
No one knows for sure why these nuts are so toxic to dogs, but they are. They cause weakness, joint pain and shortness of breath. Fortunately dogs quickly recover from this toxin but who would want to subject their loved pet to such pain and discomfort even for a short time.
Other household foods and substances that is toxic to dogs.
· Avocado (all parts) - the toxic ingredient in avocado is called persin (toxic amount unknown). Symptoms include difficulty breathing, abdominal enlargement, and abnormal fluid accumulations in the chest, abdomen and sac around the heart.
· Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide poisoning)
· Potato peelings and green looking potatoes
· Rhubarb leaves
· Moldy/spoiled foods
· Alcohol
· Yeast dough
· Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)
· Hops (used in home brewing)
· Tomato leaves & stems (green parts)
· Broccoli (in large amounts)
· Raisins and grapes
· Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars
