Foods to Avoid Dogs

A dog is by nature a very curious and inquisitive animal that will eat practically anything that smells or seems interesting. This habit at most times results in their getting poisoned as most humans out of sheer ignorance end up feeding their dogs “human” foods which are toxic and unsuitable to dogs. This may not only cause long term or short term harm to the dog but may also be fatal. Certain common household human foods that are dangerous for dogs are onions, macadamia nuts, chocolates etc. The effects they have on the dog’s health may range from mild stomach upsets to severe repercussions to even cause emotional and behavioral disturbances in the dog. Some human foods may be toxic in nature on account of their chemical structure whereas others may become toxic dog foods because of incorrect cooking or storage.

Foods like grapes and raisins, as few as 4-5, are known to cause irreparable damage to dogs kidneys. Consumption of chocolate, especially dark chocolate by the dog may result in symptoms like seizures, tremors, and increase in heart rate depending on the quantity consumed. This is triggered by a component called Theobromine. Onions and garlic on the other hand directly affects the red blood cells in the dog which in turn affects the flow of oxygen to the dog’s vital organs. Hence onions which may be present in pizza, baby food or Chinese dishes can easily become a toxic dog food. Even a small amount of alcohol is known to result in coma or even death in dogs and is hence considered as a poisonous dog food. Hence make sure that all cans or bottles of alcohol are kept well out of the dogs reach Chicken or other bones, even if cooked can be harmful to dogs when consumed as they may splinter and either tear or block the intestine and overall digestive system of the dog. Macadamia nuts are another human food that is extremely dangerous to dogs. There are more foods such as potatoes, yeast, coffee, artificial sweeteners, corn cobs etc that are also termed as toxic dog foods.

Although the kitchen may come across an exciting playground for your dog, their exposure via treats or accidentally finding human foods and table scraps has to be minimized and completely stopped so as to avoid the pitfalls of toxicity and obesity. Teach kids about which foods are not meant for dogs and specifically mention that they are bad dog foods as this is a term that children can easily understand.