Good nutrition is as important to dogs as it is to humans. Not very many people take this into consideration when taking care of their dogs and end up giving them all kinds of foods in the name of treating their dogs. However, not all foods are good for the dogs. There are foods which can actually end up killing your dog slowly. It helps to know which foods should be off your dog’s list. Here are some of the most ignored dangerous dog foods.
Chocolate – The amount of chocolate you give to your dog is what will determine how dangerous it is. Some of the toxicity symptoms include seizures, diarrhea and vomiting. The darker the chocolate the more dangerous it is for your dog so be careful.
Grapes – They, together with raisins can lead to kidney failure in your dog. The most common symptoms include increased thirst, vomiting and increased urination. Whenever possible, keep the raisins and grapes out of the dog’s reach.
Onions and garlic – When taken in large amounts, they can be harmful to the dogs. The onions can lead to red blood cell damage leading to weakness and inactivity. Garlic on the other hand contains compounds which are too strong in terms of toxicity to the dogs. They both generally destruct red blood cells and can cause anemia. The anemia calls for blood transfusion in some cases.
Macadamia nuts – They have chemicals which can cause toxic reactions in dogs when ingested. The dog will develop walking inabilities and weakness mostly affecting the hind legs. Depression, hypothermia, staggering gait and vomiting are some of the other symptoms the dogs will experience.
Avocado – It might seem like a nutritious fruit to give your dog, but it can contain persin. This is a toxin that is present in the fruit, bark and even the leaves of the avocado fruit. The toxicity depends on the fruit variety and can lead to breathing difficulties, chest fluid buildup and stomach upsets. The slippery pit can also be dangerous when swallowed since it can obstruct the gastrointestinal tract.
Apple cores – They are also present in apricots, pears, peaches and plums and have cyanide, which can lead to breathing difficulties, dizziness, hyperventilation, coma and shock when ingested by your dog. It is always advisable to safely dispose the cores to keep them off your dog.
Yeast dough – The raw dough can end up fermenting in the stomach, making it toxic as a result of alcohol production in the stomach. The yeast dough can create huge gas amounts in the digestive system of the dog by expanding the intestines and it can cause severe pain and in some worse cases ruptured intestinal tract or stomach. Other symptoms are lethargy, abdominal discomfort and vomiting.
Coffee – It has Methylated xanthine which is a stimulant that can lead to restlessness, vomiting, heart palpitations and death in dogs. It is advisable to keep coffee and other caffeine forms off your dog to be on the safe side when you are not sure of what amounts are safe.
There are so many foods that are not as friendly to your dog and should be kept off their menus even when you feel like giving them a treat. The amount of food ingested determines the severity.
