Foods You Should Never Give to Your Dog
Sure, dogs are a man’s best friend, but that doesn’t mean they should also eat like your best friend. The most important responsibility being a dog owner is to know what you can and can’t feed your pet. There are many foods you probably weren’t aware about that can really be bad for your dog, including those which are perfectly healthy for humans.
After all, you do not want your dog to suffer over a simple blunder in diet, right? Because we care about you and your furry friends, we list here foods you should never feed your dog.
Chocolate
One of the most common foods known to be bad for dogs is chocolate. It contains caffeine and theobromine which come under the methylxanthines category. If consumed by a dog, chocolate can cause vomiting, abdominal pains, dehydration, severe agitation, muscle tremors, elevated body temperature, irregular heart rhythm, seizures and sometimes, even death.
Milk
Yes, puppies do drink milk from their mothers. However, like humans, canines can also develop a lactose intolerance when consumed in excess. Milk has milk sugar that dogs lack the enzymes to break down. Consuming excess milk can lead to diarrhea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal problems.
Cheese
Just like milk, cheese also contains sugars and fatty components that dogs lack the necessary enzymes to break down. If dogs consume cheese, and other dairy products in excess, it can lead to gas, diarrhea and vomiting. Keep cheese away from your dog, and your loved one’s stomach will thank you for it later.
Onions
Although onions complement almost everything savory, they can do more than just making your pet cry. Onions have compounds that can be harmful to dogs if consumed in excess. Onions can cause damage to your dog’s red blood cells causing them to become weak.
Garlic
Think of your furry friends as vampires and keep them away from raw garlic Since garlic belongs to the onion family it’s even more toxic for dogs than onions per ounce. While the effect on red blood cells due to garlic consumption won’t appear for a few days in pets, they’ll be tired and lazy to move. Your dog’s urine color will also change to orange or red. It is often noted, that our dog sitter NJ, has observed such feeding habit and advised the owners against such food habits.
Grapes
Both grapes and raisins can be highly toxic to dogs. While its presently unknown what chemicals and compounds in grapes cause toxicity to dogs, their consumption can lead to devastating results, such as a rapid kidney failure. Other than kidney failure, your pet can also suffer from vomiting or diarrhea.
Avocados
You might be tempted to share that guac with your furry friend, but hold that thought! Avocado leaves, bark, pits and fruit has a toxin called persin which can have negative effects on dogs. It can cause upset stomach, breathing difficulties, as well as fluid buildup in the chest.
Yeast Dough
While a chubby puppy is one of the cutest thing in the world, yeast dough can not only make your puppy fat but also can ferment in his or her stomach leading to toxicity. Yeast dough can expand in a dog’s stomach or intestines and cause a huge amount of gas in the digestive system. This can cause severe pain and a possibly ruptured stomach or intestinal tract. Vomiting, lethargy and abdominal discomfort can also occur.
It is important to note that the amount of damage these foods can cause depend on the breed and size of your dog. Although every dog reacts differently to different foods, it is better to keep these foods away from them just for good measure.