When it comes to our beloved furry friends, keeping their diet in check is far more important than many pet owners realize.
Dogs are susceptible to disease, bacteria, and infections, just as humans are, and as such just shouldn’t consume certain things.
While you may think that feeding your dog a ‘treat’ every now and then is making them happy, you could actually be doing more harm than good.
The next time your pet has an upset stomach or just doesn’t seem like themselves, it may be worth taking a look at what they could have consumed.
There is a range of food types which are both dangerous and even toxic for dogs. Learn more about foods poisonous to dogs in this blog…
The Top 5 Foods Poisonous to Dogs
While some foods are far more toxic than others, there are 5 stand-out foods poisonous to dogs which they should never consume:
1. Chocolate
Now, this may be common knowledge already – but if you didn’t know, chocolate is one of the worst foodspoisonous to dogs.
Chocolate is comprised of a myriad of ingredients, but one ingredient known as theobromine is especially poisonous to dogs.
The smaller your dog, the most toxic chocolate can be for them. Dark chocolate is far more concentrated than milk chocolate and also far more toxic as well.
Consuming chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and heart arrhythmias in dogs. In some cases, it can even be fatal.
2. Fatty foods
Far less toxic than chocolate, but still unhealthy for any type of dog to consume is foods especially high in fat.
While licking the frying pan you just cooked your bacon in may seem like a great treat for your dog, it could not be worse for their health.
High-fat foods such as sausages, bacon and deep-fried goods can also cause diarrhea, vomiting, gas and lead to pancreatitis and gastrointestinal problems.
Put your takeout leftovers in a Tupperware for your next meal or send them to the trash – whatever you do, don’t give them to your pooch!
3. Onions and garlic
Another highly toxic food type is onions, garlic, shallots, and chives. All of these foods contain a dangerous ingredient for dogs: thiosulphate.
Thiosulphate is known to cause severe anemia in most dogs and can damage the structure of your dog’s red blood cells.
The next time you give your pet leftover casserole or stew, you might want to remove any traces of onion, and most especially, garlic!
4. Salt
While you wouldn’t naturally ”salt” your pet’s meals, salt in large quantities can lead to salt poisoning in dogs.
Giving your pooch a salty treat every now and then isn’t likely to cause harm in the long-term. However, a consumption of large amounts of salt can cause damage.
This is especially important to keep-in-mind if you leave near the ocean and visit the beach with your dogs. Try and keep them from drinking too much salt water which could lead to salt poisoning.
Salt poisoning in dogs can cause neurological issues such as seizures and brain swelling.
5. Nuts
You wouldn’t think that such a small food item could possibly be harmful to dogs, however, you’d be wrong!
Nuts, most especially Macadamia nuts, are highly toxic for your dog and can cause a severe nut toxicity.
Your dog may experience vomiting, a loss of muscle control or lethargy. Nuts are also high in fat and salt, which as we mentioned, should also be avoided.
Visit Sykesville Veterinary Clinic For Your Next Checkup
At Sykesville Veterinary Clinic we focus on the treatment and care of small animals, also known as ”pocket pets”.
If you’re the owner of a small dog, cat, ferret, rabbit or small rodent – this is our specialty!
We offer medical, dental, surgical, laboratory services, boarding and emergency care for all your ”pocket pets”.
Visit us for your next pet checkup – contact us today to book your appointment.