Being animal owners and carers, we find ourselves doing most things together with our pets. From occasional activities like playing and exercising to even the most basic, more frequent activities like having meals together. But dogs are not exactly humans, some foods we like are toxic to them.
While it may be an honest mistake to feed dogs on what we eat, it could lead to unforeseen consequences like indigestion, poisoning, and in the worst case, death.
It’s important to pet-proof your house to keep your dog safe from potential hazards. One of the ways to do this is to avoid getting houseplants poisonous to pets.
So here are some of the foods that may be toxic to dogs, at all times.
List of toxic foods for dogs
Baked foods
Baked foods like pies, muffins, cookies, pudding, and cakes may seem like a good enough meal for our furry friends, but that could not be further from the truth. Pastries contain xylitol, a sugar substitute that is just as chocolate is.
Xylitol gets absorbed rather quickly into the bloodstream and this triggers a rapid increase of insulin by the pancreas in 10 minutes to one hour. This sudden increase of insulin leads to the sudden lowering of blood sugar in the dog’s body (hypoglycemia), a critical constituent for producing energy.
Dogs with xylitol poisoning will show signs like weakness, staggering, incoordination, decreased activity, collapse, seizures, or even, death. This happens when brain function and organs are severely affected by glucose deficit (hypoglycemia). It would be wise to take your dog to a veterinary doctor when you notice symptoms like these especially after your dog has had too much cake.
Chocolate
Chocolate is found in bread, cookies, cakes, candy, and literally everywhere. It has two harmful chemical compounds theobromine and caffeine, which are harmful to your dog.
Symptoms of a dangerous theobromine intake may include diarrhoea, vomiting, agitation, hyperactivity due to the increase in sugar levels, drooling, increased thirst, a racing heart rate, high blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, and even death.
Alcohol
Alcohol is easily absorbed into the body in as little as half an hour by the gastrointestinal tract or by the skin and is considered poisoning when substances like ethanol are included.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning could be inebriation, loss of bodily control, diarrhoea, hypersalivation, depression, dehydration, seizures, and even death due to respiratory distress.
Other disastrous effects of alcohol poisoning could be aspiration pneumonia where the dog inhales his vomitus and eye irritation if said alcohol splashes onto the eyes.
To help a dog exposed to alcohol, induce vomiting to stabilize the dog. Do this if the dog is asymptomatic or/and when alcohol ingestion occurred less than 2 hours prior.
Avocados
Avocados are one of the most nutritious fruits available to human beings and a certain degree, they are okay for dog consumption. They provide vitamins A, B6, C, E, fibre that helps in digestive function, and fatty acids that are good for their coats.
However, overconsumption of avocados is harmful for your dog. Too much fat from the avocado may lead to GI upset, pancreatitis, and weight gain.
The pit of the avocado also presents a risk to dogs as ingestion may cause the dog to choke on it and/or block the gastrointestinal tract.
Persin, a substance common in the pit and skin of the avocado, is a fungicidal toxin that is fairly toxic to dogs whose effects only grow worse and worse the more of it is ingested. It brings upon the dog diarrhea, vomiting, myocardial damage, and even death.
Some dogs may also be allergic to avocados and at risk of anaphylactic shock due to avocado consumption.
Pets with symptoms similar to these should visit their veterinary doctors for treatment.
Corn on a cob
A dog may mistakenly ingest corn on a cob wholly or partially and this may cause problems too. The cob will fail to be digested and will eventually block the digestive tract.
The dog will show symptoms of vomiting, constipation, lethargy, weight loss, and loss of appetite. Seek veterinary help when this happens.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg consumption is a definite case of things a dog should never have to go through, especially in high amounts. It contains the toxin myristicin, a compound found naturally in plants like parsley and dill.
Symptoms of myristicin poisoning may include disorientation, drowsiness, abdominal pains, seizures, and high blood pressure.
Cooked bones
This mainly sources from table scraps. These present a health risk to dogs in ways like choking, mouth injuries, obstruction by shards stuck in the digestive tract, and even internal bleeding from punctures made by the bones’ sharp edges. Symptoms include gagging and not being able to sit properly due to abdominal pain.
Final Thoughts on Foods Toxic to dogs
Most of us think dogs are capable of eating just anything without any major consequences. It is important to be on the know about what might not be good for their health. We hope you now know what are toxic foods for dogs.
If you are interested to learn more about dogs, you can find more content here: Canine Herpes, Smells That Dogs Hate, The most popular breeds of dogs, Most Expensive Dog Breeds, How to Prevent Dog Fights, Poodle-Shih Tzu Mix, The German sheprador, Female Italian Dog Names, Spanish Dog Names, Female Dog Names In French, What to do if a Dog Bites You, Mexican Dog Breeds,
