Dangerous Foods For Dogs

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There Are Several Foods Dangerous to Dogs

By Frank Will

There are several foods dangerous to dogs, and to most all dogs, they could care less. As all dog owners know, their table manners are about as bad as they get. However, some common everyday foods and beverages could place your dog in several serious health situations, or in some cases they are so toxic that it could kill them.

These will range from deadly foods to dangerous foods.

To all dogs, the smell of food is more important than the taste. Your dog has over 100 million cells that work full time to smell all sorts of dangers, but it most cases they can not sense which foods are dangerous to them.

Dogs by nature are very fast eaters as well as very sneaky eaters, and when given the chance they may eat something so quickly that you have little chance to stop them. Understanding foods that are dangerous to dogs will help dog lovers take extra precautions when working with these foods or leaving the foods unattended even if it is for only a few minutes.

Although dog's stomach acid is extremely strong there are still several foods that poise real dangers. If you do suspect or have actually seen your dog eat some of the foods listed below and suspect they may be in serious trouble, the National Animal Poison Center's toll free number is 888-252-7387.

Deadly Foods:

Alcoholic Beverages of all kinds:

If may be funny to see your dog drink some of your beer or wine, but think again, as alcohol is toxic to dogs. Ethanol within alcohol is a danger to anyone, but dogs can not break it down the same as humans. Depending on the size of your dog, the toxic effects can occur very suddenly, or they may take some time in a larger dog, but they will occur.

Alcohol poisoning will cause a sudden weakness that can lead to a rapid increase in respiratory rate or cardiac arrest. If severe enough, it will cost your dog its life. This is not something to take lightly as owners and play around with.

Chocolate:

Dogs love the smell and the taste of chocolate. Baking chocolate is especially dangerous to dogs as it contains a much higher level of theobromine which is very toxic to your dog. Dark chocolate also contain much higher levels of this toxic ingredient, and if enough has been ingested, it can cut off the supply of blood flowing to the brain, causing all kinds of harm to all of your dogs organs.

Dogs that have been poisoned with chocolate will show immediate signs of muscle tremors as well as seizures. Your dog could die within 24 hours if not treated immediately. .If you can't get your dog to your veterinarian quickly, induce vomiting as soon as possible to prevent this toxin from reaching your pets bloodstream.

The recommended steps are to give your dog 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with a syringe if you have one. If not, force them to swallow all of it. If you do not have hydrogen peroxide, use 1 teaspoon of table salt, placing it as far back on your dogs tongue as you can, and force swallowing. This will also induce vomiting which could save your dogs life.

Coffee, Tea, Cola Soft Drinks or Energy Drinks:

All of these beverages are also dangerous for dogs as they have the same ingredient, theobromine, found in most caffeine products. Although not quite as dangerous as chocolate, they are all still potentially fatal to your dog as it will produce the same set of occurrences.

Dangerous Foods:

Macadamia Nuts:

Dogs also love the smell of these nuts, but when they eat them they have a reaction called macadamia nut toxicosis. Within 12 hours of ingestion, your dog will most likely not be able too stand or will start to wobble, called ataxia. Muscle tremors, hyperthermia and an elevated heart rate will soon follow.

Although these symptoms will recede in about 48 hours, if severe enough, it can still cause shock and even death. Long term non fatal implications could be bladder stones or kidney failure from this toxin.

Baby Food:

This dangerous food for dogs seems very innocent and even cute when it happens. But several forms of baby food will contain onion powder, extremely dangerous for your dog.

Onions, Garlic, & Leeks:

Cooked, raw, or in powder form, it makes absolutely no difference with any of these. Although all commercial dog foods have trace amounts of both onion and garlic powders, they are way below toxic levels. These are not deadly foods for your dogs, but the implications can be quite severe. All three cause anemia as they will destroy your pet's red blood cells.

Raisins & Grapes:

Used for years by trainers as treats for dogs, very small amounts poise no real threat. However, in the last ten years this has become one of the largest sources of calls to the Animal Poison Control Center. They cause toxicity in dogs that first starts with anuria, a lack or urine production, which can than lead to acute renal or kidney failure.

Yeast Dough:

Dogs love the smell of dough. The yeast in the dough swells, that is what it is made to do. Once inside your dog's stomach, it does just that. It can lead to gas or even bloat in dogs which can take your dogs life very quickly. It can also cause both stomach and intestines ruptures.

Fat Trimmings in Ham:

Never give your dog fat trimmings, although they love them. But ham fat trimmings are especially dangerous as they can cause pancreatic conditions very rapidly in your dogs.

Cold Cuts, Bacon, Vienna sausage:

This is something no dog can resist, and the danger they caring is that most cold cuts are very high in sodium and nitrate, which can cause both kidney and digestive issues, including bloat.

Accidents can and do happen with your dog. Watch them very close when working with any of these foods or beverages and by no means think that just because you have a big dog they are immune, they are not.

Toxins are deadly to dogs and some bigger breeds may already have inherited conditions that may put them at even a higher degree of risk. If you knew something was toxic to you, would you take it?

I am an avid lover of pets and my wife and I have had several pets throughout our years. We are especially fond of dogs, and we have a 12 year old Dalmatian (our 3rd) and a "mutt" that we rescued when someone threw him away to die in a vacant field.

He found us, nearly starved to death, and weighed about 2 pounds.

After severe bouts of mange and severe dehydration, and over 1,000.00 in veterinarian bills, we saved the little guys life, and he is one of the best, if not the best, dogs we have ever had and today is a muscular, fit, and firm 70 pound best friend.

After finishing my MBA, which at middle age was not easy, I decided to keep the research work ethics that I acquired, and devote about two hours each night in understanding the health benefits of supplementation for both humans and pets and how they might strengthen our, as well as our pets, immune system in a preemptive approach to health rather than a reactionary approach.

Both of my daughters are avid cat lovers, and asked me to help them with health concerns and challenges with their cats.

I am not a veterinarian nor claim to be, just a lover of pets that loves to research and pass on some knowledge that might be helpful, or at least stimulating to the thought process.

Several of the articles that I have written can be found on my website;

Liquid Vitamins & Minerals for Humans & Pets

http://www.liquid-vitamins-minerals-humans-pets.com

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Tagged with: dog vitamins • food for dogs

Filed under: Dog health • For The Love Of Dogs

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