FOOD THAT ARE TOXIC FOR DOGS

We love to share food with our dogs, and since some foods are healthy for us, we often assume that they’re healthy for our pets, too. This is often the case, but that certainly doesn’t mean it’s always the case. There's a ton of foods you probably didn't know about that can actually be really bad for your dog, including some that are perfectly healthy for humans.

The most important thing with pet care is knowing what you can and can't feed your dog. After all, there's nothing worse than having your dog suffer over a simple mistake in diet. So if you plan on sharing some snacks with your pup, make sure you don’t feed him or her anything you find on this list!

This is not an exhaustive list, and any decision to provide your pet with food not specifically intended for animals should be discussed with your veterinarian or pet nutritionist.

1 Chocolate

Chocolate is one of the most common foods that is bad for dogs, as it contains caffeine and theobromine which fall under the methylxanthines category. When we hear the phrase "the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous," it's because white chocolates contain fewer methylxanthines. Thus, less toxicity. If eaten by a dog, chocolate can cause vomiting, dehydration, abdominal pains, severe agitation, muscle tremors, irregular heart rhythm, elevated body temperature, seizures and death.

2. Garlic and onions

This one-two combo of foods doesn’t just give you dragon breath and repel vampires. They can actually destroy a dog’s red blood cells, leading to anemia. While some argue there are benefits to feeding our dogs garlic, the Pet Poison Helpline warns that garlic is actually considered to be even more toxic than onions. Either way, both vegetables can cause serious problems in our dogs.This is a tricky one because a small dose might not do much harm. But a large dose or regular small doses can lead to poisoning. Symptoms might include weakness, vomiting, breathlessness, and a loss of interest in food. Keep the bad breath to yourself.

3. Candy and gums

These food fall under the sugary products. The real culprit when it comes to these sweets is an ingredient called xylitol. It causes an insulin surge through your dog’s body that can lead to a drop in blood sugar and liver failure. Symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures, and eventually death. Several of these foods, especially peanut butter, are sometimes made without xylitol, so check the list of ingredients in your foods before you share them with your dog.

4. Coffee

For you, coffee might be an absolute necessity when it comes to getting your day off to a good start, but it's a definite and strict no-no for ALL dogs .Coffee contains a stimulant known as Methylated xanthine. Methylated xanthine stimulates the nervous system in dogs, causing vomiting, restlessness, heart palpitations and even death.

5. Mushrooms

While only a small amount of mushroom species are toxic to our dogs, it’s important to make sure you aren’t feeding the wrong ones if you ever share them with your dog. If you’re unable to identify a mushroom species quickly, it’s imperative that you take your dog to the veterinarian immediately after consumption. Mushroom toxicity is known to be fatal in dogs, resulting from seizures, tremors, and organ failure.

6. Alchocol

As in humans, when a dog is exposed to alcohol it causes depression of their central nervous system. Its effects on a pet's nervous system are similar to those of humans in many ways. A dog or cat slows down, becomes drowsy and loses coordination. If they're exposed to higher levels of alcohol it can depress their nervous system to the point that their breathing and heart rate slow down. Their body temperature drops. Their blood chemistry is also altered, leading to a dangerous condition called metabolic acidosis where the blood becomes too acidic. At this point, without treatment, death soon follows usually due to cardiac arrest. Even if a dog or cat doesn't die from the acute effects of alcohol poisoning, the toxin can still harm their kidneys and liver, reducing quality of life over time.

7. Avacoda

Avocados can have toxic effects on dogs depending on the variety. They can cause upset stomachs in dogs, breathing difficulties, fluid buildup in the chest, but the most dangerous thing for them seem to the be the pit. Since it's slippery, the pit can accidentally be swallowed by dogs, leading to obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. Not only are the pits of avocados a choking hazard for your dog, but avocados contain persin in their leaves, seeds, bark, and fruit. Persin isn’t harmful for humans, but it’s toxic in large amounts for dogs.

8. Grapes and raisns

Grapes and raisins are known to cause renal failure in dogs. Your dogs kidneys might start to shut down, causing vomiting and lethargy and eventually leading to death. It’s best to keep the grapes and raisins out of reach of your dog. While it varies between dogs, symptoms may not show up in them.

9. Beverages

Cool Drinks and beveragees are formulated for humans that contain sugar substitutes, especially xylitol. Xylitol dangerously lowers your dog's blood sugar level, causes liver disease and even interferes with his blood's ability to clot. Provide him with clean water appropriate for you to drink, filtering it if necessary, but not flavored beverages that are designed for human consumption.

This information was compiled from various sources.