| As surprising as it sounds, many foods that are perfectly safe for humans COULD be unknowingly poisoning your 'best friend' by giving them table scraps, tidbits and other foods such as grapes, sugar free candy, and chocolate. Some common foods that can cause serious health risks in even small amounts include: A xanthine compound 'theobromine', found in chocolate, is the ingredient that makes it dangerous for dogs. Unsweetened baking chocolate has six times more Theobromine than milk chocolate. Some large dogs seem to be able to handle a small amount of chocolate but for smaller dogs, the same amount can poison or even kill them. Cocoa bean mulch used in gardens also contains Theobromine and is poisonous to dogs. Unfortunately, many dogs find cocoa bean mulches wonderful chocolate smell irresistible. Never feed any chocolate to your dogs regardless of your dog's size or the type of chocolate. Grapes and raisins can cause fatal kidney failure in some dogs. For some unknown reason, there are dogs that grapes and raisins seem to have no ill effect on while others become very ill after eating only a couple. Although the exact toxin is unknown to date, the first symptom of illness from grapes and raisins is vomiting, followed by fatal kidney failure. Many sugar free candy and gum contains a sweetener called xylitol, also known as wood or birch sugar. Sugar free gum or candy eaten in large amounts by your dog could result in a rapid blood sugar drop in the dog. Signs that often develop rapidly include coordination loss, depression, and seizures. Seek veterinary treatment immediately if your dog displays any of these signs. Feeding your dog fatty foods such as turkey skin and ham fat could overtax the pancreas causing pancreatitis. Symptoms of inflammation of the pancreas include stomach pain and vomiting. Immediately take your dog to the vet if he displays any symptoms, as this is definitely a medical emergency. Never feed your dog fatty foods such as ham fat or turkey skin as it is better to be safe than sorry. Alcohol poisoning could occur in your dog if he eats bread dough containing yeast. It can release alcohol in large quantities when it ferments in your dogs' stomach. You should avoid feeding your dog most nuts due to their high phosphorus content and definitely never feed macadamia nuts to your dog. These could cause temporary rear leg paralysis in your pet. Raw eggs should be avoided in the dog diet as they can cause in the body to be unable to absorb biotin resolution in skin and coat problems as well as cause salmonella, or decrease the rate and amount of absorption of biotin - leading to poor quality coats and hair problems in adult dogs and puppies. Cooked eggs are an excellent source of protein and can be a great addition to the diet in small amounts. Avoid feeding your dog any type of cat food as it is very HIGH in protein, fats and sugars that can be very serious in dogs with diabetes. Dairy products such as milk and cheese can be problematic for lactose intolerant dogs resulting in diarrhea and vomiting. A dog's diet should never exceed 10% of the total amount as table scraps or human food. In addition, never give a dog HUMAN vitamins or supplements as they can cause health concerns. Cooked bones of any kind can easily splinter in the dog's mouth and cause damage to the gums, throat, and lining of the stomach and digestive system. In addition, the bones can lodge in the throat and cause severe damage. Raw meaty bones are the best for dogs, and should be removed when the meat is removed. Salt may cause electrolyte imbalances and dehydration in dogs. It should be eliminated from the diet as much as possible. Onions and garlic contain sulfoxides and disulfides that can lead to anemia in dogs. Avoid feeding your dog any cat food or other type of pet food. Cat food is designed for cats, and they have different dietary needs than dogs. Cat foods tend to be higher in sugars and proteins, and this can cause complications for dogs as they age. So as you can see there are many common food items that though healthy for humans, can cause serious illness to your dog. |
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