Many of us, who are dog lovers, like to give our dogs treats. Dogs will often beg for whatever food you are eating. It would be safer to restrict your dog to dog food and dog treats if you don’t know the effect the food will have on your pet. Even if the food doesn’t kill your dog, it could get sick, have seizures, and maybe even suffer from liver or kidney problems. Almost everyone knows that you should not give your dog chocolate, but did you know that onions and some nuts could also be toxic? Other foods and seasonings that are toxic to your dog are garlic and onions; avocados, and macadamia nuts are also poisonous to your beloved fur-baby.
Other foods and substances that are toxic to your dog are tobacco products, which includes plain tobacco, snuff, cigarettes, and cigars. It is important if you smoke to not throw your cigarette buts out into your yard, because your dog could pick them up and eat them. The same thing goes for chewing tobacco or dipping snuff. Forgive me for sounding gross, but if you spit out the juice onto the ground your dog could come along and lick up the toxic substances left on the ground.
Often our dogs will sit at our feet as we prepare meals, or clean out our refrigerator. You might think it is okay to toss your dog some scraps, like you might a rabbit. Potato peelings, the green parts of tomatoes, and green tomatoes should never be given to your dog to eat. Something I didn’t know until talking to my vet was that raisins and grapes should never be fed to a dog. The pits in fruits should never be given to your dog, because they have small amounts of cyanide in them. Still other foods and substances to never give your dog are yeast dough and uncooked rice; these foods will swell up in the dog’s stomach and cause serious bloating, which could cause injury. My dog used to beg for grapes when I was eating them. Nothing ever happened to my dog, that I know of. I mean I never saw him be sick over it, but my vet said they are toxic.
Tylenol is toxic to dogs. If you think your dog is in pain, you might be tempted to medicated it with Tylenol, also known as Acetaminophen. Don’t ever give your dog Tylenol. It’s toxic. Tylenol will cause organ failure. Your dog’s middle will start to swell up, and your dog could get very sick and even die from dosing it with Tylenol.
If you wouldn’t eat it don’t feed it to your dog.
A word about foods that are going bad. A rule of thumb is if you wouldn’t eat it, don’t feed it to your dog. Some folks think that since dogs like to eat smelling and rotting road kill out in the wild, doesn’t mean you should feed your dog the spoiled foods that are tucked away in your refrigerator. You might be tempted to feed spoiled hamburger meat–or that Hamburger Helper that looks like a science experiment when you take the lid off the container–but don’t do feed any spoiled food to your dog.
A word about Hamburger Helper; this prepared food has seasonings like garlic and onion powder in it, which is toxic to your dog. Before I knew better I would give leftover Hamburger Helper to my dog. It didn’t seem to hurt him, but since I now know it can hurt him, I won’t give it to him. In fact, I don’t give my two outdoor dogs any people food. I do on rare occasion give my Chihuahua some scrambled egg.
A word about alcohol.
If you drink beer, wine, brandy, or liquor, be sure to keep this out of your dog’s reach. Some dogs seem to like the taste of alcohol. You might think it is funny to see your dog get drunk and stagger around, but this is not a laughing matter. Your dog could develop serious problems from ingesting alcoholic beverages. If you make beer in your home, the hops that you put in your beer is toxic to your dog.
Many dogs like vegetables. One of my friend’s dogs will beg for broccoli. He will eat every piece of broccoli he can get his mouth on. It’s okay to give a small amount of broccoli to your dog, but a larger amount can be toxic to your pet. Remember, if you aren’t sure if it is safe to give your dog certain foods, just refrain from sharing with your pet.
Soft drinks are another treat that we like, but is hazardous to our dogs. The caffeine in soft drinks, and the sugar is unsafe to give your dog. Diet drinks are no better to give to your dog because the sweetener used in soft drinks is metabolized in the dog’s liver and it is converted chemically into a substance that resembles antifreeze in the dog’s body. In large amounts diet drinks could be very harmful.
A word about caffeine.
Coffee and tea are also toxic. The caffeine in these products acts as a cardiac stimulant. Some green leafy vegetables, including rhubarb leaves are also toxic. Your dog’s body is not made the same as yours and mine. Their organs cannot process certain substances once they are broken down into their chemical components. If your dog likes to eat people food, and eat some people snacks be sure to ask your veterinarian if it is safe to do so.
Sources:
http://itsthedogslife.com/2008/06/human-food-not-to-give-your-dog/
http://www.afrikenji.com/bewareofthedog.html
http://www.animalpetsandfriends.com/Article/25-Human-Foods-Toxic-To-Dogs/300
