For many dog owners, it is a common joke that their dogs will just about eat anything, including garbage. While it might be a wonderful way to get rid of some unwanted food from your dinner plate, there are a few things that you should consider before giving your dog some of your food. After all, people want to think that they are giving their dogs a treat, when in reality, they are actually harming their dog. In some cases, these foods can even put your dog at risk of death. By memorising which foods are harmful to dogs, you can make sure that you can protect your dog and give it a long and healthy life.
Which Foods Are Bad?
When it comes to dangerous foods for dogs, there are two categories that you should look at, and they are broad groups and specific foods. There are some groups of food that should generally never be fed to a dog. At the same time, there are also some types of food where only one specific thing is bad. For the broad groups of food, this usually includes caffeinated foods, nuts, and fatty foods. Fatty foods, such as butter, can lead to pancreatitis and can severely damage your pet’s digestive system, as well as leading to pet obesity. Nuts have a similar problem, as they often have a high fat content despite their size. Macadamia nuts tend to be the worst offender in this category, but you should just avoid giving your dog any nuts. Caffeinated foods are some of the worst, on par with feeding dark chocolate to your dog. If your dog ingests some caffeine, you should ask your vet what to do as soon as possible.
With more specific foods, there are a few more things that you should be wary of. This includes avocados, grapes/raisins, milk, onions and garlic, and Xylitol. Avocados not only cause an upset stomach due to a toxic agent known as persin, but if the seed is ingested, it can lead to the need for surgery to remove intestinal blockage. Grapes, as well as raisins, can lead to kidney failure in dogs who are sensitive to a certain toxin. Scientists aren’t quite sure which toxin it is, but this is all the more reason not to take the risk of feeding your dog a bit of leftover grapes or raisins. The only time you should give your dog milk is if you are feeding it pet milk, as the normal milk will give them an upset stomach. Onions and garlic will both cause stomach irritations, as well as poisoning, which leads to anaemia. Xylitol, which is a type of sugar replacement, is extremely toxic and can quickly lead to death, even in small quantities. These are all foods that you should never feed your dog.
What Are Some Alternatives?
Some people still feel the need to feed their dog some other foods that dog food might not always provide. Thankfully, there are ways you can do this. Raw carrots and apples (without the pits) are both great for dogs. Low-fat cheese is also good for dogs who are not lactose intolerant. Salmon, chicken, and eggs are also wonderful sources of protein. You can even feed your dog a small amount of peanut butter as a treat, as long as the peanut butter has no Xylitol in it.