Unsafe Food for Dogs

While you may think chocolate is the only human food you can’t give your precious pooch, think again. There are many foods that can harm or even kill you dog, especially the small dog breeds.

Chocolate is the most widely known food that can kill a dog. Caffeine and theobromine are in chocolate, which are lethal to dogs. This means the higher purity level that the chocolate is, the more lethal it will be. For example, dark chocolate is more lethal than milk chocolate.

Grapes and raisins, although the reason is unknown, are lethal due to their affect on dogs’ kidneys. Death will occur from kidney failure if enough fruit is eaten. Whether a lethal amount of fruit was eaten or not, there will be symptoms present from any level of consumption, such as abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Uncooked Meats and Fish: While dogs love raw meat, there are some diseases that can affect your dog. E. Coli, salmonella and parasites can affect your dog the same way they affect humans.

These foods may not be lethal, but they can still hurt your dog:

• Uncooked rice
• Food with high salt contents
• Meats with small hallow bones (chicken for example)
• Avocado
• Coffee
• High-fat Foods
• Macadamia Nuts
• Onions and Onion Powder
• Salt
• Yeast Dough
• Garlic
• Anything sweetened with xylitol, a sweetener found in sugar-free gums and candies.

Keep any of these foods safely tucked away where your dog can’t reach. If you think your dog has eaten something hazardous to their digestive tract, call your local vet and explain the situation. You may or may not need to make a trip to see the vet, but it is better to be on the safe side concerning your pet’s health.