‘Bad Dog, Bad Dog!’ this might be a common refrain you hear when your cute canine friend misbehaves and stares at you with those innocent pair of eyes. But shouldn’t she too say ‘Bad Food, Bad Food!’ when she is fed something that isn’t a healthy option for her?
Many of us may have the habit of offering bits and pieces of our dinner or lunch. Kids especially love breaking smaller portions of their dish and discreetly offering it to the dog waiting in eager anticipation below the table. However, did you know that not all foods are good enough to feed the dogs? Yes, it may happen that the treats and nibbles you may be sharing with her, is just what the vet has recommended keeping the dog away from.
Here are some foods that you need to avoid feeding your dog at all costs –
1 – Chocolate
This delicacy is a known food that can cause tummy upset for the dog. The main culprit in chocolate is the compound theobromine. While people can metabolize this compound, dogs process it much more slowly. As a result, the slow action induces the buildup of the toxic element in the body, thereby posing significant health risks.
Having chocolate can bring about vomiting and diarrhea. In extreme cases, it can lead to heart rhythm problems too. The problem is especially prominent in dark chocolate and baking chocolate.
It’s best to save all types of chocolates for humans and keep dogs away from them.
2 – Peaches and Plums
Any fruit that has seeds in the core pit can be a hazard for the dog. Apart from obviously posing a choking risk, they can also be highly toxic if the dog ingests it. These seeds contain the poison cyanide. If the dog takes in a significant amount of these fruits and is left untreated, it can lead to demise or cardiac arrest within three to four days.
It is possible that the dog may display symptoms of cyanide poisoning. These include rapid breathing, vomiting, dilated pupils, and cardiac arrhythmia.
3 – Salty foods
Sharing that packet of pretzels or chips may seem cute for humans, but for dogs, it can be a potential health risk. A large amount of salt is not god for both dogs and humans. When dogs have a lot of such salty snacks or food, they suffer from the likelihood of sodium ion poisoning.
Some symptoms of this issue include depression, diarrhea, vomiting, tremors or seizures. In extreme cases, it can also result in the dog’s death.
4 – Onions and garlic
All derivations from the allium plant family are bad for dogs. These include leeks, onions, and garlic. It has the potential to destroy red blood cells within the dog and lead to other complications due to this problem. Out of these, garlic is 5x more dangerous to the dog than other members of the allium plant family.
Be it eating a large amount of this food in one go, or ingesting minor amounts over time; it doesn’t matter. The dog can face severe health issues under both scenarios. If your dog doesn’t enthusiastically dig into the food, shows signs of weakness or vomits a lot, then its best to opt for veterinary treatment
5 – Yeast
Yeast is considered one of the riskiest food items that the dog can consume. If the yeast is in the unbaked dough and the dog accidentally eats it, then it can be a problem. The yeast will continue rising even after the consumption. Hence it is said that yeast in any form is risky for the dog.
Since the dough continues rising, the dog may face issues of gas and bloat in the stomach. In addition to the apparent complaint of discomfort, the yeast can also lead to blockage in the intestine. This issue can hamper the digestive process.
6 – Alcohol
You may find it amusing seeing the dog run up and lap up the spilled alcohol, but believe us, it won’t be a funny thing for the dog. Alcohol has the potential to destroy the dog’s liver, just like it impacts humans too. If your dog faces issues like difficulty in breathing, vomiting, depression, or diarrhea, then it’s time to take her to the vet.
7 – Chewing gum or toothpaste
Many of these orally ingestible products contain an artificial sweetener like xylitol to improve its palatability and taste for human consumption. This compound is known to stimulate insulin release. When the dog consumes this type of food, then the insulin-releasing capacity leads to lower blood sugar. This issue can lead to the onset of vomiting or lethargy. At the extreme, it can also lead to seizures among the dogs and pups.
8 – Avocados
The jury is still out on whether the fruit is safe for a dog’s consumption or no. Some have reported issues in dogs after they have eaten a portion of avocados. Our thoughts? We recommend you to keep the dog away. It’s not as if the fruit is the only food she can consume. If we know that there might be problems, then it is best to stay away from it rather than experiment with it.
9 – Grapes and raisins
They are harmful and even potentially fatal for dogs. Even small amounts of these can be lethal for them. They can experience vomiting and diarrhea within just a few hours of the consumption of raisins and grapes. They are considered highly toxic for dogs. Canines across age or breed can experience extreme issues like kidney failure if they consume a larger number of grapes or raisins.
If you suspect that the dog has consumed these foods, then it must be treated as a medical emergency. Healthcare experts need to initiate emergency veterinary treatment to flush out the toxins from the body.
To sign off
Keep this list of ‘don’t’ foods in mind the next time you melt in those big brown puppy eyes of your pet. It will do a world of good for her, and keep her away from illnesses. If you suspect that the dog has consumed any one or more of these foods, then it is best to rush the dog to a vet and get her checked up for potential health issues.
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