Your dog is a part of your family, and you might feel they can eat people food especially when they look at you with those adorable puppy dog eyes. However, not all human foods are safe for dogs. Certain human foods can give dogs an upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea, while others can do worse damage, resulting in increased thirst, muscle tremors, lethargy, irregular heartbeat, seizures, kidney failure, and even death.
Veterinary professionals recommend pet owners avoid feeding dogs these human foods:
1. Chocolate and caffeine
It is known that chocolate is harmful to dogs. The amount and type of chocolate your dog eats will determine the dog toxicity level of your dog. However, the rule of thumb is, absolutely no chocolate. Chocolate can cause the following symptoms. The darker the chocolate, the more harmful it can be to your dog. Chocolate contains high concentrations of caffeine and theobromine. These are toxic to your dog. Don’t let your dog drink caffeinated drinks. The same or similar symptoms are possible if your dogs drink caffeine.
2. Grapes and raisins
Some dogs can tolerate eating a few grapes and raisins, but these fruits have caused kidney failure in some dogs. Vomiting, lethargy, and diarrhea often occur within 12 hours of eating grapes and raisins, and if the symptoms are not treated, dehydration occurs. Grapes and raisins can also cause kidney disease or death.
3. Onions and garlic
All vegetables that are part of the onion family can cause dog toxicity. Onions and garlic contain compounds that cause gastroenteritis, anemia, and damage to red blood cells. Stay away from garlic since it is considered to be five-times as dangerous as onions. Watch for lethargy, weakness, and orange or dark red urine.
4. Alcohol and raw bread dough
The small amount of alcohol found in drinks, raw bread dough, and some syrups are poisonous to dogs. Alcohol and raw bread dough contain ethanol, and beer contains hops. These products cause alcohol intoxication. Watch your dog for signs of vomiting, disorientation, restlessness, excessive panting, muscle tremors, high temperature, and seizure. If your dog shows signs of alcohol intoxication, take your canine friend to a vet.
Alcohol and raw bread dough can cause the failure of organ systems and death. The yeast in alcohol and raw bread dough cause stomach expansion, and this results in tissue damage and breathing difficulties.
5. Avocado
You love avocados, so why shouldn’t your dog? Avocados have persin, and it’s okay if you aren’t allergic to persin. Too much, however, can cause vomiting or diarrhea in dogs. Keep your dog away from avocado plants since persin is in the leaves, bark, and seeds.
6. Fat trimmings and bones
It seems okay that your dog would love a nice juicy bone. However, fat trimmed from meats can cause pancreatitis in dogs. Bones can also cause a dog to choke since they splinter and block the digestive system. By all means, never give your dog a chicken bone. They do splinter and cause problems.
7. High salt foods
Avoid sharing salty foods like pretzels and chips with your dog. Overeating salt causes incredible thirst and brings on irregular peeing. Sodium-ion poisoning can lead to death in dogs.
It’s best to keep your dog on a strict “for-dogs-only” diet.