What Not to Feed Your Dog…

Did you know that food such as grapes, onions, raw meat and chicken bones can make your dog really sick? Here is a list of ordinary food items (and some other stuff that your dog might munch on) that are harmful or even lethal to canines:

>> Alcohol Keep your dog away from the bar! Even small amounts of alcohol can cause alcohol poisoning in dogs, which in turn can lead to coma and death. >> Apple-, Apricot-, Peach-, Pear- and Cherry-seeds These seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can result in cyanide poisoning. >> Avocado Keep your dog away from the guacamole! Avocado contains Persin, which can damage heart and lungs in dogs. Since avocadoes are high in fat they can also trigger an upset stomach, nausea or even pancreatitis.

>> Bread Dough
Eating dough can be hazardous to dogs. The dog’s body heat causes the dough to rise in the stomach and alcohol is then produced. Signs of bread dough intake include, but are not limited to, abdominal pains, vomiting, bad coordination, and even death.

>> Broccoli
Broccoli is not really dangerous to dogs, unless they eat lots of it. Nnevertheless, broccoli does contain isothiocynate, which can cause an upset stomach.

>> Chicken bones
Even though chicken bones are not poisonous, they can easily get stuck in your dog’s throat and intestines. The same goes for other small, easy to break meat bones!

>> Chocolate
Chocolate is very toxic to dogs. In smaller doses chocolate can cause vomiting and diarrhea, but in larger quantities it can lead to coma or even death.

>> Coffee, Tea and Sodas
Drinks containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea and sodas, can accelerate your dog's heart rate to an unsafe level. Dogs that consume caffeine may have serious seizures, some which might be fatal.

>> Fat Food
Fatty foods, such as French fries and doughnuts, are as unhealthy for dogs as they are for humans. Also, fatty foods can trigger pancreatitis in dogs.

>> Liver
In small amounts liver is good for your dog (many dog treats are made of liver and dogs tend to love them). However, too much liver (more than three servings per week, some vets say) might result in your dog getting too much Vitamin A, which may lead to deformed bones, excessive bone growth and weight loss.

>> Macadamia Nuts & Macadamia Butter
These nuts are considered poisonous because they can cause gastrointestinal upsets, sluggishness, vomiting and quivers in dogs. Note that as few as six Macadamia nuts have been known to accelerate a dog’s heart rate and cause temporary paralysis in the hind legs.

>> Moldy Foods
Keep your dog away from trash where he can find old and moldy foods. Moldy foods may contain mycotoxins, which can cause seizures.

>> Mushrooms
Some mushrooms are toxic to canines and can cause shock and in some cases even death. Therefore, don’t feed him any! Also, don’t forget to remove all mushrooms growing in your backyard, since these are often toxic to dogs.

>> Onions & Garlic
Garlic and onions are toxic to dogs because of the Sulfoxides and Disulfides in them, which can damage your dog’s red blood cells and lead to anemia. Onions are more dangerous than garlic, but both are really bad for your dog.

>> Raw Potatoes & Greenish Potatoes
Raw potatoes and green potato skins are bad for your dog. However, cooked potatoes and mashed potatoes are great and nutritious foods for your four-legged friend!

>> Raisins & Grapes
Even a quite small amount of raisins or grapes can damage your dog’s kidneys, so don’t feed him any!

>> Raw Meat
Raw meat may contain bacteria such as Salmonella, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Note that Salmonella is as dangerous for canines as it is for humans.

>> Tobacco
Even though nobody is unintelligent enough to feed their dog tobacco, dogs sometimes find and eat cigarettes, cigarette butts, nicotine patches, nicotine gum and chewing tobacco. This is very dangerous for canines, since tobacco can cause everything from diarrhea and vomiting to cardiac arrest and coma.

>> Tomato Leaves
Tomato leaves contain Atropine, which can cause shivers and an irregular heartbeat in your dog. Even ripe tomatoes contain Atropine, but only a very low level of it. Nevertheless, it might be a good idea to get your dog to stay away from tomatoes all together.

>> Still Water & Toilet Water
Still water in ponds and alike may contain bacteria and parasites harmful to your dog’s health. Also, toilet bowl water containing any kind of cleaner/freshener may be very poisonous.

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