When the holidays come, we love to meet with friends and family and share food together, have lunches, dinners and barbecues and we could be tempted to give some of our leftovers to our canine companions. Who can resist those those cute puppy eyes? But there is some very common human food that could be very dangerous for our four legged friends. Every dog owner should know what the dangerous food for dogs are, recognise the symptoms and call promptly a vet if they occur.
Cooked bones
These might splinter and cause an obstruction or injury to the dog’s digestive system. To keep your pooch safe, only feed them raw, uncooked bones that are roughly the same size as your dog’s head.
Onions and garlic
Both are part of the same family and, if eaten in large amounts, can lead to anemia in dogs. The size of the dose determines the level of poisoning so keep an eye out for lethargy and reduced appetite.
Grapes and raisins
Probably amongst the more commonly known toxic dog foods, grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure and even death, so make sure that you keep grapes and raisins out of your dog’s reach at all times.
Avocados
A little known dangerous food for dogs, avocados are extremely toxic to dogs due to a toxin called Persin that can cause stomach upset and is concentrated particularly in the peel. Also the pit can be accidentally be swallowed by dogs causing obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. Even avocado trees can pose a risk to your pooch so it’s best to steer clear completely.
Caffeine
Who doesn’t love a good flat white in the morning? Your dog most definitely doesn’t! All food and drink types containing caffeine should be off limits with dogs, as it will provoke vomit, diarrhoea and difficulties in breathing, it could also affect the heart and the nervous system.
Alcohol
This one has the same effects on doggos as humans; affecting dogs’ brain and liver. It takes much lower quantities to do damage in dogs. Even a small amount of alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, coordination issues, difficulty breathing and, potentially, death.
Chocolate
The darker, the more dangerous it is, as it will contain more of a nasty element called Theobromine. If eaten, it can cause vomiting, dehydration, abdominal pains, severe agitation, muscle tremors, irregular heart rhythm, elevated body temperature, seizures and death.
Lollies
These small and sticky human treats could become a choking hazard for your dog but more dangerous is the xylitol that sugar-free gums and candies contains. Xylitol is a common sugar substitute and it can be lethal to dogs.
