You’re settling into your favorite seat at the dinner table, armed with a fork and knife, preparing to devour a plate of filet mignon and mashed potatoes. Then you feel it. Nudging at your side with his wet nose is your four-legged friend, begging for a scrap of food, pleading with his puppy dog eyes. Before you start feeding Sparky bites of your meal, stop and evaluate the ingredients you’re giving him. You’ll have to learn to hold back from spoiling your best bud, because if you’re not careful, just a little nibble from your plate can be extremely toxic for your pup. Here are six foods that are dangerous for dogs to eat, some of which are common household items you probably have in your pantry.
1. Xylitol
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener often found in gum, candy, baked goods, toothpaste and some brands of peanut butter. This sweetener can cause a huge surge in insulin, making your dog’s blood sugar drop below the healthy limit, and sometimes leading to liver failure. Always check the listed ingredients on food products before sharing them with your dog - especially if they contain xylitol.
2. Grapes and raisins
While grapes are a great, wholesome human snack, they can be toxic for dogs. Oddly enough, not all grapes have the same lethal effect, but some can cause kidney failure in dogs. The reason behind this is still a mystery to scientists - we’re still not sure how to differentiate which grapes will be safe for dogs from the ones that won’t be. To be safe, don’t feed your dog grapes, it’s best not to push it. That goes for raisins too.
3. Avocados
We all know guac is extra,extra toxic for dogs that is. All jokes aside, inside the seeds, leaves, and fruit of the avocado plant is persin - a toxin harmless to humans but deadly for dogs. The pit of the avocado contains the most persin, making it the most dangerous part of the fruit for your dog. The pit can be a huge choking hazard for your furry friend as well. It’s best to keep your dog away from avocados altogether. You can still have a fiesta with your best pal, just save the guacamole for yourself.
4. Raw meat
While you may have heard of the trend of people feeding their dogs a raw meat diet, The Petnet Team strongly discourages you from doing this, and so would a majority of veterinarians. Raw meat contains bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Cooking meat kills off this bacteria, so if you feel like throwing some chicken on the barbecue, feel free to share a bite with your doggo - just make sure it’s cooked first.
5. Dairy
Dogs, like people, can be lactose-intolerant. Milk and other dairy products can cause indigestion in your dog, and sometimes severe itchiness if they have a particularly bad allergic reaction. While it may be tempting to offer your dog a lick from your ice cream cone, it’s better to spoil him in other ways, like with more belly rubs.
6. Chocolate
At the top of our list of bad foods for dogs is one you’ve probably heard of: chocolate. While we humans love indulging in a little cocoa-goodness every now and then, the theobromine present in chocolate makes it toxic for our doggos. Theobromine comes from the cacao plant and is present in all kinds of chocolate, with even higher concentrations in dark chocolate (it’s the best kind, we know). If your dog gets into your chocolate stash, it may cause vomiting, diarrhea and many other unpleasant symptoms. Opt for a dog treat instead.
While we do our best to keep our pets safe, sometimes Buddy gets into the trash or digs into some leftovers that he shouldn’t. If an accident happens and your dog ingests something potentially harmful to his health, we urge you to call for emergency help right away or consult with your veterinarian. If your regular vet is unavailable, find the nearest 24-hour emergency animal clinic to get your pet the proper care.
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