Monday, December 5, 2011

10 Things You Should Never Give Your Dog

It can be fun to figure out what your dog’s next treat should be.  You might also be tempted to slip Fido some scraps from the dinner table.  Before you start doing anything like that you should know that there are certain foods you should never feed to your dog.

  1. Chocolate is widely known as a food you should keep away from your dog.  It can speed up their heartbeat and lead to a heart attack and seizures.  In addition to that chocolate can also cause increased urination as well as vomiting and diarrhea.  As soon as you realize that your dog has gotten a hold of the chocolate you need to take it to the animal emergency center.

  1. Grapes and raisins simply do not agree with a dog’s digestive system.  There is no exact measurement of how much they can handle so it’s best to keep all grapes and raisins away.  If not you might find increased urination, vomiting, and diarrhea.

  1. Onions are another food that can wreak havoc.  They can break down a dog’s red blood cells and drastically decrease the oxygen that gets to its blood.  While the problems might not show up right away it can accumulate over time.  Keep an eye out for symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and a general malaise.

  1. Macadamia nuts are another no-no.  There is something in the nuts that can cause fever, heart problems, seizures or even paralyze your pet.

  1. Please never feed your dog Alcohol.  Their bodies just cannot handle it and it can give them alcohol poisoning very easily and lead to death.

  1. Bread dough is another food to avoid.  This is very soft and might cause the dog to think that it can just swallow the dough whole.  The dough can then rise in your pup’ stomach and cause bloating and nausea.      

  1. Never feed your dog a caffeinated drink.  This will simulate their system in the wrong way and can have a bad effect.  Your dog’s heart might race which can lead to seizures or heart attacks.

  1. Avocados might be yummy for humans to eat but they are toxins to dogs.  They contain a chemical that can damage many of the body tissues in dogs.  Guacamole dip is a mix you’ll also want to avoid.

  1. Be extremely careful with any food that has a pit.  These pits have cyanide in them, which are dangerous. It might even overtake the bodies of smaller dogs and lead to death.  If the cyanide doesn’t harm your dog, they still might choke on the pit itself.

  1. Do not give your dog raw fish.  When fish is not cooked it can contain parasites.  When a dog swallows these parasites they will attach to the wall of the intestines.  This isn’t something you’ll notice right away either.  It is a tricky thing to catch when your dog has these parasites.  If you must feed fish to your dog you should make sure that it’s thoroughly cooked.

1 comment:

  1. very good post. i'm sending it to my sister, immediately after posting this comment! x

    ReplyDelete