What Foods Can Harm Your Dog?

Dogs are eager eaters. Usually, they are very trusting creatures as well. When the family sits down to share a meal, the family dog usually hovers nearby, hoping for a treat. Perhaps someone will drop a morsel by accident.

Most dogs will eat almost anything, but not all things are good for them. As caring owners, we must choose wisely what we feed our canine companions. Their lives depend on us!

Certain common foods can make your Yorkie york, your hound heave, your beagle barf, or your retriever retch. Other items can have even worse effects!

What common foods can be harmful to dogs?

Chocolate is the biggest no-no for dogs. It can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, panting, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures, and even death.

Garlic and onions can cause unusual changes in a dog's red blood cells, so they should be avoided. (A few flakes in a recipe may be OK, but it should be avoided.)

It's important to be cautious with fruit. Grapes and raisins can cause canine kidney failure. Apples, peaches, and cherries can contain small amounts of cyanide, which is toxic to dogs. Citrus fruits contain citric acid, limonin and oils. These have been linked to irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression dogs. (Of course, a single wedge of orange may only give your dog a stomach-ache.)

Grease from cooking bacon or sausages can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and even pancreatitis. Although the scent and flavor are appealing to dogs, actual consumption is not a good idea.

Bologna and other processed lunchmeats contain lots of sodium nitrates, and fat, so they are not a good nutritional choice for a dog. (Gee, why do WE eat them?)

The leaves of ripe tomatoes and potatoes contain solanine, which can incite drooling, severe gastrointestinal upset (vomiting and diarrhea), loss of appetite, drowsiness, central nervous system depression, confusion, behavioral changes, weakness, dilated pupils and slowed heart rate in dogs.

Peppers contain capsaicin, which irritates a dog's skin, nose, eyes, and gastrointestinal system.

Popcorn can pose a choking hazard for pets. Also, the hulls and seeds are not digestible.

Uncooked meat or raweggs may cause E. coli or Salmonella in dogs, just as it can in humans.

Of course, alcoholic beverages are a bad idea for pets, as they can induce vomiting, diarrhea, lack of coordination, central nervous system depression, tremors, difficulty breathing, metabolic imbalances and coma

Other harmful foods include avocadoes, coffee and tea, moldy cheese, onions, macadamian nuts, and anything with bones in it.

Large amounts of dairy items can cause vomiting or diarrhea. Excessively fatty, spicy, and salty foods are best avoided as well.

Generally speaking, domesticated dogs do best when they are fed exclusively with products prepared for canine consumption. Because of their sheltered lives, they simply are ill-equipped to handle a wide variety of foods that might not irritate their feral counterparts.

If your dog does manage to eat a harmful or questionable food, call your veterinarian immediately. Do not give him human remedies, such as Pepto-Bismol. In dogs, these formulas can lead to gastric irritation or ulcers, bleeding problems, seizures and liver damage.

In general, it is a bad idea to treat dogs with medications that are intended for humans. Appropriate dosages are unknown, and medicines can be harmful, or even fatal, to canines.

If in doubt, contact the ASPCA Poison Control Center.Do you want to give your dog a wonderful treat that is extra healthy for him? Take him for a walk! Spend time with him. Play together! It's good for both of you!