For many pet owners the ability to share food with their dog is a bonding experience. But is it really safe to do so? In many cases, giving your dog a bite of human food here and there is perfectly fine, but there are some foods that aren’t safe for dogs and should never be given to them, even in small amounts. Here, we’ll discuss some of these foods and why they aren’t good for your dog.
I know. You’re probably thinking you can’t remember the last time you sat down to a big plate of xylitol, right? However, this artificial sweetener is commonly found in many products, such as sugar-free gum and also in peanut butter. Xylitol can lead to liver failure, brain damage, and other serious conditions.
Chocolate
As much as you’d like to “treat” your dog to a piece of chocolate, resist the urge. Chocolate contains a substance called methylxanthines, which can cause vomiting, excessive urination, seizures, and can even be fatal.
Raw meat
Dogs love raw meat, right? Although your pooch is unlikely to turn away that steak bone or meat trimmings you put in his bowl, consuming raw meat is potentially very dangerous to your dog. Undercooked or raw meat can contain bacteria such as E. coli, which can cause sickness in dogs as well as in humans. On a related note, consuming raw bones can be a serious choking hazard for dogs.
Garlic and onions
Whether raw or cooked, garlic and onions can be not only distressing to animals (causing intestinal discomfort, for example) but it can also cause things like damage to the red blood cells, which can be more serious. Although typically a more common concern in cats, dogs can be negatively impacted by consuming garlic and onions as well.
Raisins
This is one food that many people don’t immediately think of as being harmful to dogs, but they are. Researchers believe there is a substance in raisins that can cause potentially fatal kidney failure in dogs.
Salt
Your dog doesn’t need to share your bag of chips or pretzels. When your dog consumes too much salt, this can lead to things like vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizures and, in some cases, can be fatal.
Alcohol
Don’t ever give your dog alcohol. Even a small amount can have devastating effects on a dog’s liver and brain. Keep alcohol safely out of reach of animals so accidents don’t happen.
Finally, although not technically food, it is imperative that you keep all medications out of reach of your pets. Even small amounts of everyday medications meant for humans can be devastating for animals.
When it comes to feeding your pets, the best strategy is to feed them foods and medicine that are meant for them and found at certified providers such as the petcarerx.com and keep the human food for the humans. High-quality pet foods are formulated to give your dog everything he needs to be healthy, with none of the stuff that can be potentially dangerous.
