Seven People Foods You Should Not Give to Your Cat or Dog
Who Knew?
We had a lot of pets. We had cats, dogs, a white rat, turtles, frogs, and anything else we found or that came to us as hungry strays. Back then, we didn't think too much about what our pets ate, and we very often gave our pets "people-foods"; scraps from family meals, treats, etc.
The local farmers always had a bunch of hungry cats and dogs running around their property, feeding on cows' milk, mice, birds, table scraps, and any other bit of fodder they could find, or that someone nonchalantly and innocently tossed their way.
What we did not realize is that we were giving our pets foods which are hazardous for them. For some reason, we believed that if we could eat it so could they. Looking back, that way of thinking, that mentality seems rather ignorant; indeed, even blind to so many things.
Funny, though, because we rarely took any of our pets to veterinarians back then either. Hmmmmm...perhaps they (the pets) knew how to heal themselves from all the junk we gave them. Maybe they knew enough natural remedies (i.e., herbs, berries, fruits, weeds, and other 'anti-toxins') to counteract our poisons.
There was not a lot of information-sharing back then either. Certainly nowhere near as it is today, and things we learned came much slower then, for sure! I guess life was just a whole lot slower and simpler then.
How many adorable pictures have we seen of tiny kittens being fed pure cow's milk, directly from the cow? Now, we are told many cats are lactose intolerant and cannot metabolize the milk properly, so we should not give that to them.
Who knew?
Here are seven "people foods" that should not be given to your cat or dog, as they have been found to be either directly or indirectly "toxic" to them:
Avocado
Avocados contain persin, which is a derivative of fatty acids. Persin is toxic to cats and dogs, as well as other animals, and especially birds.
Chocolate
Chocolate is considered to be poisonous to cats and dogs. It contains theobromine, an alkaloid, which can give pets theobromine poisoning, which can lead to death if not treated early.
Cows' milk
Cows' milk is not considered toxic to cats, but some cats are lactose intolerant, thus milk may give them diarrhea or other digestive symptoms.
Foods containing Xylitol:
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center warns dog owners that products sweetened with Xylitol are harmful to dogs. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener extracted from fibers of fruits and vegetables and is used in a wide variety of desserts, snacks, candies, gums, and the like. Xylitol can cause a rapid and severe blood-sugar drop in dogs, which can lead to seizures, vomiting and weakness. Immediate veterinary attention is required.
Grapes, raisins
Grapes and raisins should be avoided as pet snacks, as they have been linked with kidney failure, especially in dogs.
Onion, garlic, leek, chive
Onions contain a substance called N-propyl disulphide, which can destroy red blood cells in cats, causing a type of anemia called Heinz body anemia.
Garlic, leeks and chives contain similar substances, although in lesser amounts.
Tomatoes, raw potatoes
Tomatoes and raw potatoes contain the glycoalkaloid Solanine, a poisonous compound which can cause digestive ailments in animals.
Sources:
Published by w1z111
I've been writing for many years, for various purposes. I've also been composing my own music for many years. Now that I'm retired, I'm trying to put some of these "skills and talents" to use. I also crea... View profile
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11 Comments
Post a CommentThis is a very informative article.
Sunflower oil is used in some prepared dog foods (ref. http://www.dog.com/item/innova-reduced-fat-dry-dog-food/350510/). However, some research also indicates that grains might not be best for dogs' digestive stystems. So, perhaps the sunflower ingredients might not cause harm; but whole sunflower kernels might act similar to other grains in their system. Best to check with your veterinarian, to be sure.
Sorry for the confusing order of the following two posts. I didn't realize the messages would truncate; thus the two posts are reversed from what I intended. Thx for understanding!
Nabisco Fig Newton Ingredients: ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE {VITAMIN B1}, RIBOFLAVIN {VITAMIN B2}, FOLIC ACID), FIGS PRESERVED WITH SULFUR DIOXIDE, CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, WHEY (FROM MILK), PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, SALT, BAKING SODA, CALCIUM LACTATE, MALIC ACID, SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER), POTASSIUM SORBATE ADDED TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.
Fig Newtons are (technically) only those that are made by Nabisco, since the name is a registered brand name. As such, I reviewed Nabisco's ingredients for the Fig Newtons; they are listed below. In order to determine whether or not Fig Newtons are alright for dogs (or any animals, for that matter), one would have to research each and every ingredient; a potentially lengthy process. Some of the ingredients listed are even currently coming under close scrutiny for HUMANS; let alone for pets! For example, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), partially-hydrogenated cottonseed oil, and others.
Even if raw figs are alright for animals, Nabisco's Fig Newtons might not be. One website for Raw Diet Dog Food (http://www.boneappetitrawfood.com/index.html) uses raw figs (in season) in some of their products; hopefully, they've done the research to ensure they're ok for animals! Good luck, and thanks for the interest in this topic; and, of course, in your dog's well-being!
Nabisco Fig Newton
Can you feed a dog Fig Newtons?
can u give ur dog sunflower seeds
Very interesting! Strange that so many sites indicate chocolate as being toxic to pets. I just reinvestigated, and some of the "experts" are disagreeing with what you say. (see http://tinyurl.com/yvlzo and http://tinyurl.com/396xlq).
I do appreciate your feedback...and I certainly do not want to publish incorrect info if I can help it.
But, as you say, sometimes the Internet can be misleading too. Hard to tell exactly what is true and what isn't. I call it the "Tower Of Babel Syndrome", because I believe we are becoming more and more confused, even as we are becoming more and more educated.
Unfortunate paradox, but probably comes with the territory.
Thanks again!
PS...I see you've been doing a fair amount of publishing. How's it going?
Good information however as a vet student and vet tech for four years I think I must state that this statement: chocolate is considered to be poisonous to cats and dogs is not true. It is a fact that chocolate can be given to animals in small amounts without harm. In fact, many pets that have low sugar levels will actually be advised to be given a 1/2 oz or 1 oz of chocolate to increase the level of sugar in the blood stream. This is a myth that has been passed around the internet too much - people should be informed about the truth. :)
Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, I wasn't aware of some of these either, until I started looking into it. There are others too...I may do another seven if I can.
Thanks again!