16 Foods That Could Harm Your Dog

We’ve all heard the tip that chocolate is poison to dogs. Unfortunately, it’s true! This delicious and ubiquitous treat doesn’t seem like it needs to be locked away from our pups, but if they accidentally get their paws on too much, it could prove fatal. It’s surprising to realize that such a delicious and commonplace food item is a danger, but that just leads to the question: what other common foods and products that we use on a day-to-day basis could harm our pets? Here’s a list of some of the most commonplace food items and products that could prove harmful if your pup gets their paws on them.

Foods to avoid feeding your dog

1. Avocado

Avocado meat itself isn’t terribly dangerous to dogs, but all other aspects of the Avocado plant, like the leaves, skin and bark, contain persin, a toxin. Additionally, the pit can be a choking hazard for dogs.

2. Dairy

Dairy isn’t terrible for dogs, however it can easily cause indigestion. If you plan to incorporate dairy into your dog’s diet, it’s best to try and introduce it in smaller amounts first to see what kind of effects, if any, it has on their digestion before giving them a full yogurt bowl or puppachino. If they do seem to be ok with dairy, our 5 Easy Greek Yogurt Dog Treat Recipes might be a hit!

3.Fruit pits/seeds

Besides being a choking hazard, these often contain toxins related to cyanide. While this toxin isn’t highly concentrated, if enough is ingested it can poison a pup.

4. Sugar

Similar to people, sugar mostly causes a variety of health problems ranging from mild to severe intensity. Typically, overconsumption of sugar in dogs leads to weight gain, dental issues and possibly even diabetes. This is one of the main Halloween Dangers for Dogs - make sure the trick or treating candy is safely out of harms way.

5. Fat Trimmings and Bacon

The occasional small piece of fatty meat is fine for dogs, and make sure to keep your dog’s size in mind. A small piece to a mastiff is quite different than it would be for a Chihuahua. If you consistently overfeed fatty meat to your dog, it could overload their digestive system and cause abdominal pain and eventually lead to pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas.

6. Yeasted dough

Bread isn’t an issue for dogs, but yeasted dough that hasn’t been cooked yet releases gas and expands. If a dog gets some in their stomach it can cause discomfort expanding and putting pressure on their organs. 

7. Salt

Dogs can become dehydrated incredibly quickly after eating salt. Salt poisoning can lead to dehydration, vomiting, tremors, diarrhea and seizures. They will also likely drink a lot of water to try and balance the issue which could lead to a continuously expanding range of issues down the road.

8. Cinnamon

While not toxic to dogs, Cinnamon can cause discomfort and minor health issues if your dog consumes it such as vomiting or diarrhea. Not fun to clean up!

 

Foods that are dangerous or toxic to dogs

The following foods are highly dangerous or toxic to dogs and so should never be given to them.

9. Macadamia Nuts

A bit of an unsuspecting entry on this list, Macadamia nuts are quite toxic to dogs and can even prove fatal. While there isn’t currently a consensus on what specifically is toxic to dogs in Macadamia nuts, steer clear of giving them to your dog.

10. Chocolate

As delicious as it is for people, chocolate is toxic to dogs. The most harmful thing for dogs in chocolate is theobromine, an alkaloid that provides the bitter taste in dark chocolate. Dogs can’t metabolize theobromine efficiently and are very susceptible to a buildup of it in their systems. Find out more in our post, Is Chocolate Really Poisonous for Dogs?

11. Onions, garlic, chives, etc. - anything from the Allium family

This family of plants, as delicious as they are, can be toxic to dogs. Ingesting an onion and the like can cause a dog’s red blood cells to breakdown faster than the dog’s body can make new ones causing anemia, or an insufficiency of red blood cells. It's best to serve food such as pasta plain, in order to avoid sauces that contain these toxic ingredients. Find more tips for serving your dog pasta and spaghetti in our post Can Dogs Eat Pasta? 

12. Caffeine

Caffeine can cause similar effects in dogs as it does in people, but the threshold for toxicity is much lower due to their size. If a dog ingests too much caffeine, they can quickly develop an irregular heartbeat, have a seizure or even pass away.

13. Alcohol

Dogs can experience alcohol poisoning along the same lines as people, however it’s much easier for them to unwittingly do so. They can take a few sips of a cocktail set on a low coffee table or clean up a spilled glass of wine and within half an hour experience alcohol poisoning. 

14. Xylitol

This isn’t easy to catch since xylitol an artificial sweetener that can find its way into any product trying to look healthier in the “Nutrition Facts” label. The most common culprit is “healthy” low sugar peanut butter so make sure to check the ingredient list when you buy peanut butter you intend to feed your dog. 

15. Grapes and Raisins

Another mystery food, there is no consensus on what specifically in grapes and raisins is toxic to dogs. Whatever science ends up discovering, grapes and raisins are definitely toxic so don’t let your pup pop any in their mouth.

16. Tobacco or nicotine

Although not a food for people, dogs have never been too discriminate about what they put in their mouths. The nicotine in tobacco and other products like nicotine gum or patches is toxic to dogs. Even a smoked cigarette can have enough nicotine left to affect your pup, so make sure to clean up and keep any product with nicotine out of reach.

If your dog does ingest any of the substances on this list, do your best to estimate how much they ingested and call your vet immediately for advice. Your vet should be able to assess how much danger your dog is in using that information. If your dog exhibits any serious symptoms like tremors, seizures or vomiting, take them to an emergency clinic or the veterinarian’s office immediately.

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