10 FOODS TO AVOID | to keep your pet healthy

It’s essential to know what to avoid giving your pet to keep them healthy.  If you owned a dog that counters surface or a sneaky little thief, it’s good to know what food to take extra care with and make sure it is out of reach.

Your dogs’ level of toxicity depends on weight & metabolism and how much your pet managed to pilfer.  A small amount will not be deadly to your pet, but some discomfort and bad stomach are possible.  The smaller breeds like Yorkshire terriers will be affected differently from a giant breed like a Great Dane.

If you ever get a bad reaction to anything your dog ate and they start to act out of the normal, I would immediately phone the vet and get their advice.

We all had them sad puppy eyes begging for a treat, and it can be difficult to resist! Here is 10 thing you should avoid giving your dog. 

CHOCOLATE

Chocolate got something called theobromine in it – which is very toxic to dogs. You will find higher values in dark chocolate & cocoa powder, so be careful not to give it to your pet.

Theobromine poisoning will take effect between 4 to 24 hours after ingesting it. Your dog might be vomiting, diarrhoea restlessness, hyperactivity and seizures.

COFFEE

Caffeine toxic to dogs and can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Your dog probably will be ok having a sneaky lick here and there, but large doses can cause heart problems & seizures. Keep your bag of coffee beans well out of reach from your dog.

ONIONS

Onions contain thiosulphate which is toxic to dogs in larger quantity. 

It causes damage to red blood cells which have the vital job of carries oxygen around the body. If a dog eats a tiny bit of onion, it will not do any harm, but feeding leftovers with large amounts of onions over some time can make your dog sick.

GARLIC

All the allium family of plants and they are bad for dogs – you can add leeks & chives to food to avoid your dog.

XYLITOL SWEETENER

Hidden in so many foods and advertised as sugar-free – chewing gum, peanut butter with xylitol is avoided.

It causes an insulin release in the dog and can lead to low sugar level (hypoglycaemia ). Dogs are susceptible to small doses.

AVOCADO

Seen as a very healthy food choice for us humans but can cause vomiting and diarrhoea because of a toxin called persin – it doesn’t affect us humans but keep away from your dog.

RAISINS 

You can count gapes & currants into this category as well. The toxin in grapes caused kidney damage so keep well away from greedy pets.

ALCOHOL 

Alcohol can be more toxic to dogs than people – you wouldn’t give it to a baby, so good ideas to keep it out of reach from your dog.

BLUE CHEESE

Dairy products are safe in small amounts. Dogs digestive system struggles to break down the lactose in dairy products, and a large amount can make the dog ill – like someone with lactose intolerance in humans. Blue Cheese is to be avoided as it contains a substance called roquefortine C,  may cause vomiting and diarrhoea and potentially also tremors, twitching, seizures and a high temperature if eaten in large amounts.

MACADAMIA NUTS 

Macadamia nuts got a toxin that can cause dogs to experience weakness, depression, tremors, vomiting and increased body temperature.

Here is a great article listing human food dogs can eat Healthy human foods for dogs