Due to recent scares about tainted dog food and salmonella in the news, you should know a few facts about what you can feed your dog and how to make your own healthy dog food.
Here is a basic dog food recipe:
- 1/2 cup ground chicken breast
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil or canola oil
- 1/4 cup cooked brown rice or cooked oats
- 1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese
- 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
- 1/4 cup pureed veggies (spinach, carrots, peas, etc)
Cooking directions: Cook meat in oil until it’s cooked through. Stir in remaining ingredients.
There are numerous great websites with recipes for dog food. The base is almost always brown rice or cooked oats.
Dogs need nine essential amino acids that are contained in animal or soy protein.
It is strongly recommended that a veterinarian be consulted before shifting him to a vegetarian diet. Your dog should also make frequent, regular visits to the veterinarian until you are certain that he has adjusted to the new diet.
Everyone knows that you shouldn’t give your dog candy, or cooked chicken bones (Raw chicken bones don’t splinter and are not as much of a hazard, but may contain salmonella), and similar items. Here is a list with food items that are hazardous to your pet. Some dogs don’t care about some of the items on this list, but I have two Miniature Pinchers that will eat anything, even pineapple. This list does not include everything, but does have the most common items.
Obviously you should never give your pet alcohol or illicit drugs. Some over the counter medications can also cause death to dogs and cats, especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This group of drugs includes aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol™), naproxen, phenylbutazone, and ibuprofen (Advil™ & Nuprin ™).
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, drug poisoning is the most common small animal poison exposure. AVMA cautions pet owners to contact a veterinarian before dosing a pet with any medication because even if the drug is safe in some doses, it may not be safe in human doses. In addition, dogs do not utilize or tolerate all drugs the same way humans do, so a drug that relieves pain in humans can poison a dog or cat.
Resource: http://www.canismajor.com/dog/nsaids.html
Alcohol can cause coma or death.
Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol - a seriously toxic chemical compound that causes central nervous system and respiratory depression. Uncooked yeast dough also produce ethanol. Very small amounts of ethanol can cause toxic effects. Signs include sedation, depression, lethargy, weakness, drunken gait and hypothermia (low body temperature).
Ethanol is rapidly absorbed into the system, so it is important to seek medical attention quickly. It is not usually helpful to induce vomiting. Treatment includes aggressive supportive care with fluid therapy and medications.
Under controlled circumstances, alcohol is used by veterinarians as an antidote for antifreeze (ethylene glycol) poisoning.
Both the ASPCA and APCC (Animal Poison Control Center) have listed that persin, an element in avocados, is known to be toxic to pets. They note it can damage tissue in animals, including, but not limited to, the lungs and heart. Additionally, the high fatty content in avocados can physically provoke severe stomach problems, vomiting, or even worse, pancreatitis.
Bones from fish or poultry can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
Cat food is too high in protein and fats.
Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeinated products contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can be toxic and affect the heart, respiratory, and nervous systems. Pure baking chocolate is most toxic, while milk chocolate requires a higher quantity to cause harm. A 20 pound dog can be poisoned after consuming about 2 ounces of baking chocolate, but it would take nearly 20 ounces of milk chocolate to cause harm. Ingestion of cacao bean mulch can also be toxic, so don’t use this if you have dogs.
Signs include excitement, tremors, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal heart rate, drunken gait, hyperthermia and coma. Your vet may induce vomiting or perform gastric lavage, stomach pumped. Treatment includes administration of activated charcoal and aggressive supportive care with fluid therapy and medications. Caffeine is quite similar to the toxic chemical in chocolate. It can damage the heart, lungs, kidney and central nervous system. Commons sources of toxicity include caffeine pills, coffee beans and coffee, large amounts of tea, and chocolate. Signs typically begin with restlessness, hyperactivity and vomiting. These can be followed by panting, weakness, drunken gait increased heart rate, muscle tremors and convulsions.
Citrus can cause vomiting.
Fat can cause pancreatitis.
Grapes and raisins contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys. There have been no problems associated with grape seed extract.
Ingesting as few as 4-5 grapes or raisins can be poisonous to a 20 pound dog, though the exact toxic dose is not established. Signs of toxicity include vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, abdominal pain, decreased urine production (possibly leading to lack of urine production), weakness and drunken gait. Onset of signs typically occurs within 24 hours and can start just a few hours after consumption. Your vet may start by inducing vomiting, or the stomach might be pumped. Treatment involves aggressive supportive care - particularly fluid therapy and medications.
Hops contain an unknown compound causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures, and death.
Human vitamin supplements containing iron can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.
Large amounts of liver can cause Vitamin A toxicity, which affects muscles and bones.
Macadamia nuts contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle and while not considered fatal, they can cause your dog to experience severe illness. Ingestion of just a handful of nuts can cause adverse effects in any dog.
Signs include vomiting, weakness, depression, drunken gait, joint and muscle pain, and joint swelling. Symptoms typically occurs within 6-24 hours.
Dogs are typically treated symptomatically and recover within 24-48 hours. In-hospital supportive care may be recommend for dogs that become very sick.
Milk and other dairy products can be harmful, because some adult dogs and cats do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhea. Lactose-free milk products are available for pets.
Moldy or spoiled food, garbage can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs. Botulism, often from garbage, can cause paralysis, slow heart rate, constipation, and urine retention. An antitoxin is effective only if poisoning is caught early enough.
Rotten fruit produces ethanol, causing the same effects associated with alcohol or dough ingestion. Moldy foods contain toxins that may cause muscle tremors, convulsions and drunkenness. Therapy depends the type of toxin that has been ingested. Your vet may induce vomiting, or treatment activated charcoal. Supportive care with fluids and medications is often necessary.
Mushrooms can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.
Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder) contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions. Onions can cause a form of hemolytic anemia called Heinz body anemia, a condition that causes the destruction of red blood cells. Kidney damage may follow. Toxicity may occur from similar foods such as garlic and chives. The quantity of onions that is poisonous is unknown, but the effects can be cumulative. Poisoning can result from raw, cooked and dehydrated forms. Avoid feeding table scraps and any foods cooked with onions, including some baby foods. Signs are secondary to anemia, such as pale gums, rapid heart rate, weakness and lethargy. Other signs include vomiting, diarrhea, and bloody urine. Treatment: blood transfusions and/or oxygen administration may be necessary, followed by specific fluid therapy.
Persimmons Seeds can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.
Pits from peaches and plums can cause obstruction of the digestive tract.
Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.
Raw fish can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. This is common if raw fish is fed regularly.
Salt, if eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.
String can become trapped in the digestive system; called a "string foreign body."
Sugary foods can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus. See http://www.caninediabetes.org/caninediabetespg.html for more information on Canine diabetes.
Tobacco contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.
Yeast dough can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.
Xylitol (artificial sweetener) can cause liver failure.
If you choose to make your own dog food be careful what you add into it.
