Common Foods That Are Harmful Or Even Fatal to Dogs

Many common foods are actually harmful or even fatal to dogs. Some of these (listed below) will surprise you. Others are things you would never give your dog purposefully, but now you will be more careful to not let them be in your dog's reach. And some just need to be limited to small amounts.

Avocados (fruit, pit, and plant) are toxic to dogs. They can cause difficulty breathing; fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart; or pancreatitis.

Onions destroy red blood cells and can cause anemia, weakness, and breathing difficulty. Even small amounts can cause cumulative damage over time. This includes onions or chives - raw, powdered, dehydrated, or cooked.

Garlic -Large amounts of garlic cause the same problems as onions.

Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill him. If the dog doesn't eat enough at one time to be fatal, he can be severely damaged by eating just a few grapes or raisins regularly.

Tomatoes can cause tremors and heart arrhythmias. Tomato plants and the most toxic, but tomatoes themselves are also unsafe. (All parts of the plant except the tomato itself are also poisonous to humans.)

Nutmeg can cause tremors, seizures and death.

Caffeine (from coffee, coffee grounds, tea, or tea bags) stimulates the central nervous and cardiac systems, and can cause vomiting, restlessness, heart palpitations, and even death within hours.

Diet products containing the sweetener Xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, resulting in depression, loss of coordination and seizures. Unless treatment is given quickly, the dog could die.

Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, muscle tremor and paralysis. These symptoms are usually temporary.

Walnuts are poisonous to dogs.

Chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death. Baker’s chocolate is the most dangerous. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. But any chocolate, in large enough amounts, can kill a dog. An ounce of chocolate can poison a 30-pound dog, and many dogs will happily consume more than this. The symptoms may not show up for several hours (and so might make you think all is well), with death following within twenty-four hours. A dog can consume milk chocolate and appear to be fine because it is not as concentrated, but it is still dangerous.

Apple seeds, cherry pits, and peach pits, pear pips, plums pits, peaches, and apricot pits contain cyanide, which is poisonous.

Too much salt can cause kidney problems. Also, large breeds of dogs that eat salty food may then drink too much water and develop bloat, which is fatal unless emergency treatment is given very quickly.

Too much fat or fried foods can cause pancreatitis.

Ham and bacon contain too much fat and too much salt, and can cause pancreatitis. Also, large breeds of dogs that eat salty food may drink too much water and develop a life-threatening condition called bloat. This is where the stomach fills up with gas and within several hours may twist, causing death.

Raw liver or too much cooked liver (three servings a week) can lead to vitamin A toxicity. This can cause deformed bones, excessive bone growth on the elbows and spine, weight loss, and anorexia. Check the label of your canned dog food to be sure that it does not contain liver if you are giving your dog liver also.

Wild mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma, or death.

Raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin, which can deplete your dog of biotin, one of the B vitamins. Biotin is essential to your dog’s growth and coat health. The lack of it can cause hair loss, weakness, growth retardation, or skeleton deformity.

Grains should not be given in large amounts or make up a large part of a dog’s diet, but rice is generally safe in small amounts.

Cooked bones can splinter and tear a dog’s internal organs.

Dogs can't digest most vegetables (carrots, green beans, lettuce, potatoes or yams) whole or in large pieces. Potato peels and green potatoes are dangerous.

Dairy products are high in fat, which can cause pancreatitis, gas and diarrhea. A small amount of non-fat, plain yogurt is usually safe.

Pennies made from the 1980s to today contain zinc, which can cause kidney failure and damage to red blood cells. A dog that consumes even one penny can become quite sick, or even die, if the penny is not removed.

Ten Things You Should Never Give Your Pet
Dr. Karen Halligan, Director of Veterinary Services, spcaLA

Having worked in emergency for numerous years and have seen pets given all kinds of foods and drinks. An easy rule of thumb, if it isn’t particularly healthy for you, it most likely is not good for your cat or dog.  Some pets will eat almost anything, so pet owners need to be careful or they could end up in the local emergency room.  The following are ten bad things to give your pets.

1.  Make no bones about it -- bones are bad for animals!  Every year countless numbers of animals end up in the emergency room from being given bones by their owners, usually as a treat. The fact is that dogs are omnivores, not carnivores and most dogs and cats cannot tolerate bones. They can splinter or lodge in the intestinal tract with disastrous results, usually requiring surgery. They can also get stuck in their mouth or throat, which is just as dangerous. All bones are bad, including pork, chicken and beef.  The next time you feel the urge to give your dog a bone, just make sure it’s a milk bone or a nylabone. Your pet will love you for it.

2.  Chocolate can be lethal to pets because it contains theobromine which causes increased heart rate, central nervous system stimulation and constriction of arteries. Clinical symptoms range from vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, and excitability to cardiac failure, seizures and death. This can occur as quickly as four to six hours after ingestion.  Baking chocolate is the worst because it contains the highest amount of theobromine.  A potential lethal dose is only one pound of chocolate in a 16-pound dog. If your pet has gotten into chocolate you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

3.  Alcohol is also very bad for cats and dogs. It doesn’t take much alcohol to intoxicate a pet. Animals will stagger and bump into things, hurting themselves, and it also causes them to urinate uncontrollably. In high doses, alcohol will suppress the central nervous, respiratory and cardiac systems and can lead to death. It is best to just give your pet water.

 4.  Milk is also not good for animals because many of them are lactose intolerant and will develop diarrhea. Pets often lack the enzyme that is required to break down the sugar in milk and this can cause them to develop vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Even though they like it, especially cats, refrain from giving your pets milk.

 5.  Ham and other salty meats and foods are very dangerous to pets. In addition to being high in fat, they are also very salty which can cause serious stomach ache or pancreatitis.  Also, large breeds of dogs that eat salty food may drink too much water and develop a life-threatening condition called “bloat.”  This is where the stomach fills up with gas and within several hours may twist causing the pet to die. Please avoid giving ham and salty foods to your pets.

 6.  Onions are toxic to pets. They contain allyl propyl disulfide, which damages their red blood cells and can cause fatal consequences in animals. They may become anemic, weak and have trouble breathing. The best thing to do if your pet ingests onions is to get them to the vet right away.

 7.  Caffeine is also bad for pets. It contains methylated xanthine that, like chocolate, stimulates the central nervous and cardiac systems and within several hours can cause vomiting, restlessness, heart palpitations and even death. So make sure your pets stay away from that early morning brew.

 8.  Avocados are also bad for pets.  First, they are really high in fat and can cause stomach upset, vomiting and even a pancreatitis.  Second, the pit is also toxic and can get lodged in the intestinal tract leading to a severe blockage, which may require surgery.

 9.  It may come as a surprise to many that tuna fish is bad for cats.  Feline’s heart muscle requires an amino acid called taurine to maintain normal strength and function.  Regular tuna fish for humans does not have this amino acid and cats that eat too much tuna fish will develop heart problems.  If you want to give your cats that taste of tuna that they love, just make sure it is tuna fish for cats which has this amino acid added.

10.  The latest study has found that raisins and grapes can lead to kidney failure in pets. Small dogs can also choke on grapes so it is best to just make sure that your pets eat a will balanced diet that is formulated for their life stage.

ALSO::
Bread dough: yeast from homemade bread produce alcohol-ingestion of raw yeast dough can result in serious alcohol intoxication. Additionally, here is a risk of bloat and gastrointestinal obstruction from the dough as it rises in the stomach.
Macadamia nuts: can cause increased body temperature, muscle stiffness, increased heart rate and tremors.

PLANTS:

• Christmas trees (firs, cedars, pines): contain volatile oils that can cause vomiting and diarrhea; needles can cause irritation to the mouth and stomach.
• Christmas tree preservatives: most contain sugar and fertilizer - the sugar will attract the dog and the fertilizer can cause vomiting.
• Decorative holly: can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea and central nervous system depression.
• Mistletoe: depending on the variety, the signs can range from vomiting and diarrhea to heart arrhythmias, difficult breathing, seizures, or coma.
• Poinsettia: rumors of its toxicity have been somewhat exaggerated. It can cause vomiting and diarrhea, but rarely causes severe problems.
• Amaryllis and Christmas cactus: can both cause severe depression, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea if ingested.

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS:

• Batteries: if bitten into, the corrosive fluid can cause severe ulcers in the mouth, esophagus and stomach. Intact batteries pose a foreign body hazard in the GI tract.
• Christmas decorations: most are foreign body hazards rather than true toxicities. EXCEPTION: ornaments made from homemade play dough can contain high levels of salt. The NAPCC has had several recent cases where dogs eating homemade play dough have died of salt poisoning.
• Potpourri/potpourri oil: can cause severe burns to the mouth and esophagus. The essential oils can affect the nervous system, causing weakness, and hypertension.
• Christmas gifts: perfumes and after-shaves generally contain fairly high levels of alcohol, which can be dangerous to dogs. Be sure to put up any gifts that you suspect may contain food items such as chocolates, coffee, or macadamia nuts.