What not to feed them : Dogs

Bailey – Authors Own

While the urge to hand your dog leftover food and throw them down a scrap or two from your plate at dinner time is not uncommon , it is important to take note that as well as this increasing chances of obesity and undesirable begging behaviours from your pet, a number of food substances can be toxic to your dog. Here is a short list outlining just some of the risk foods:

1.Grapes & Raisins:
In recent years these have been found to be toxic to dogs and lead to kidney failure, all though the reasons why are not yet known.

2.Onions and Garlic:
The toxins present in these break down red blood cells in dogs and in turn can lead to anaemia. These are ingredients found in a lot of foods including gravy so it is vital to keep them away from your pet.

3.Dairy products:
As with cats, dairy products when given to dogs can cause diarrhoea and dehydration so you should always be careful with this.

4.Fatty meats & bones:
It is vital to take care with meat as dogs can easily choke on bits of bone and in addition the bone can splinter inside their digestive tract causing serious harm. The fat and grizzle on meat in large quantities can lead to pancreatitis so if you wish to give your dog leftover meat ensure it is cooked properly, bone free and fat free.

5.Chocolate, Candy and gums:
These are all very harmful to dogs and in large quantities can be lethal. Xylitol, and ingredient found in many sweets can disturb insulin levels in dogs leading to liver failure. Theobromine found in chocolate is poisonous to dogs and this is why chocolate should always be avoided.

6.Caffeine:
Caffeine is like poison to a dog and should at all times be avoided. It is present in coffee, tea, chocolate and a number of soft drinks.

7.Alcohol:
While this one may seem obvious there are still pet owners that slip their dogs a bit of alcohol now and again. Due to their lower body weight and different metabolisms this should be avoided as it doesn’t take much to cause alcohol poisoning in dogs.

8.Yeast dough:
When digested by animals yeast dough can expand in their stomach and cause unease and digestive issues. In turn the yeast can produce alcohol in the dog’s stomach leading to a possibility of alcohol poisoning. Bread is ok to give to dogs in very small quantities as a treat.

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