Foods Dogs Should Not Eat

8 Human Foods That Are Dangerous for Dogs

[ In the article I will outline Foods Dogs Should Not Eat but this is not a complete list so please do a deeper search for all of them if you want to find out more.]

Dogs have a way of looking so deprived and hungry that you just couldn’t resist them. When their big beautiful eyes follow your every move, begging for whatever it is you are eating, you might be sorely tempted to just cave in and give him a little nibble of what you are having. Before you do, please read on and save yourself and your four legged buddy a lot of pain and suffering.

The simple truth is that not all human food are beneficial to dogs. In fact, not all human food are beneficial to humans, much less dogs. There are several reasons why the food that we eat have a different effect on our canine family members. One main reason is that humans and dogs are built differently; with different nutritional needs. Our primary function in life are entirely different which is why we look different and have different reactions to food and other things. Another reason that some human foods are potentially dangerous to our pets is that humans are usually heavier than them, with a bigger capacity for the vitamins, minerals and nutrition that we get from food. A tablespoon of avocado may be nothing to us but to our dog, it can spell life or death. The following are foods and ingredients in foods that are potentially harmful to our dogs.

1. Alcohol

Alcohol in large, consecutive doses are dangerous for human beings and can be potentially lethal to dogs, especially those of the smaller variety. Alcohol and foods that contain it should be kept away from dogs because it cold cause severe stomach upset resulting in vomiting and loose bowel movement. The worst case scenario if your dog ingests anything alcoholic can be a shut down of his central nervous system, shortness of breath or gasping for air, abnormal acidic content in the blood, coma and even sudden death. The sad part is that the smaller your canine buddy is, the more severe the effects of alcohol on him. Even if your dog is heavy or big, please do not give him even a small taste of alcohol because just like human beings, dogs can be allergic to it also.

2. Chocolate and Caffeine

Yes, I know that you know chocolate is not good for dogs but it is still worth a mention just to remind you about it. The darker the chocolate, the higher the content of caffeine and theobromine. Theobromine can overstimulate your dog’s heart, kidneys and nervous system possibly resulting in erratic heartbeat, cardiac arrest, kidney failure and uncoordinated movement.

Caffeine is present in chocolate and many other human foods and drinks which you might give your four legged buddy. Coffee grounds from your coffee maker as well as beans also have caffeine. Iced tea and hot tea contain it as well as some drinks energy drinks. Caffeine can elevate the heart rate of most, if not all, animals causing abnormal heart rate, panting, seizures, trembling, nervous energy and even death.

3. Salty Foods

Just as we humans suffer from ingesting too much salty foods or sodium, so do our dogs. The problem with our canine buddies when it comes to sodium is that their bodies are not as large as ours so their kidneys fail after just a few months of frequently ingesting salty foods and high sodium drinks. Chips, popcorn and pretzels are full of salt to make them more flavorful and difficult to resist. Some people feel guilty when they are eating a lot of snacks while their dogs are watching them and may hand some out; please think twice before doing so. Some energy drinks replenish sodium in the human body after sweating excessively but dogs do not need these kinds of drinks because they do not sweat the way we do.

Salty snacks are so hard for most of us to resist and you might think that your furry buddy deserves a treat but it is best to give specifically formulated doggie snacks to him rather than human foods. Drinks that are supposed to replenish us are not suitable for dogs and other pets. Just give them water if they have been running and playing for some time as well as let them rest for a while in the shade.

4. Avocado

Avocados are really great for humans but can be toxic to dogs. This healthy fruit for humans contains persin which is toxic to dogs even when ingested in just small amounts. Some humans are also allergic to it but only a very small percentage. Persin can be found not only in the fruit but also in the bark of the avocado tree, the leaves and some other parts.

5. Garlic, Onions and Chives

Garlic, onions and chives have the capacity to damage the red blood cells of dogs and cats especially if given over an extended period of time. If you like to give your dog the food off your table please make sure that these do not have large amounts of garlic, onions or chives. Regular consumption can lead to anemia and, worse, blood poisoning.

6. Xylitol

This is an artificial sweetener that is usually found in gum, candy, some baked products and snacks. While we do not have any negative reaction to it, our dogs and other pets experience an elevation of insulin levels once they eat anything with it. The spike in insulin can result to low blood sugar levels causing failure of the liver and toxicosis.

7. Raw Yeast or Dough

While raw dough may sound unappetizing, you can never be too sure what is appetizing to your dog. If he ingests uncooked yeast with dough in it can still swell inside his stomach causing bloating and swelling in the digestive system. If the amount of dough is a lot, it can rupture the stomach or the intestines. Another fatal possibility is your dog might get drunk from the fermentation of the raw dough resulting in alcoholic poisoning or your dog showing signs of drunkeness.

8. Dairy Products

Milks, cheese, butter and other dairy products are not lethal for our pets but as dogs do not produce sufficient amounts of lactase in their bodies, they might experience an allergic reaction, an upset stomach, feel bloated and be gassy after they ingest these. The problem with dairy products is that most, if not all, dogs love these. They will practically follow you around with their soulful begging eyes and they will be very difficult to resist. They might even resort to stealing from the table if these dairy products are unattended. Please make sure that tempting foods like these are kept under a watchful eye if your dog is around or placed where he cannot reach them.

These are just a few human foods which can cause our four legged buddies some harm if they ingest these. Some foods may take some time before they become potentially dangerous while others are lethal from the point that they are eaten. Please take time to read through this to get to know which foods can be harmful to your dog.

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