We love our dogs very much. We sometimes have a hard time saying “no” to their sweet faces and heart melting eyes. People food isn’t always good for your canine companion, no matter how much he might beg for it. It’s usually best to refrain from sharing your meals and beverages – and recreational habits – with your dog, especially when it comes to certain foods. Here is a list of the most toxic or deadly foods for you dog to ingest.
1. Chocolate
Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine — a bit like caffeine — that’s poisonous to dogs. The amount of theobromine depends on the type of chocolate. Theobromine mainly affects the guts, heart, central nervous system, and kidneys and signs of theobromine poisoning will occur between four and 24 hours after your dog has eaten chocolate. You may see vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, hyperactivity and seizures. Read our in-depth guide on the dangers of chocolate to dogs.
A list from most dangerous to least dangerous chocolate for dogs to ingest.s
Cocoa powder
Unsweetened baker’s chocolate
Semisweet chocolate
Dark chocolate
Milk chocolate
White chocolate
2. Caffeine
Like chocolate, caffeine is a stimulant. Dogs are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than people. A couple of laps of tea or coffee are unlikely to do any harm, but if your dog swallows a handful of coffee beans or tea bags they could be in danger. Signs and treatment of caffeine poisoning are similar to chocolate toxicity.
3. Onions, garlic, and chives
Eating these vegetables and herbs can cause stomach and gut irritation and potentially lead to red blood cell damage and anaemia.
Onions No matter what form they’re in (dry, raw, cooked, powder, within other foods) are particularly toxic and signs of poisoning often only occur a few days after your dog has eaten the vegetable. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions or garlic. Left-over pizza, Chinese dishes and commercial baby food containing onion, sometimes fed as a supplement to young pets, can cause illness. Many prepared foods (including takeaways), sauces and gravies contain onion or garlic powder. They contain disulfides and sulfoxides (thiosulphate), both of which can cause anemia and damage red blood cells
4. Alcohol
Alcohol is significantly more toxic to dogs than to humans. When consumed, even small quantities of alcoholic beverages and food products may cause vomiting, diarrhoea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, blood changes, coma and even death. So, remember to keep alcohol well out of your dog’s reach.
5. Mouldy foods
Mouldy food, including bread, nuts and dairy products, contain lots of toxins that could make your dog very ill. Make sure you dispose of leftovers carefully and be careful to keep your food waste bin well out of your dog’s reach.
6. Grapes & raisins
While the toxic substance in grapes and raisins is unknown, it can cause kidney failure in sensitive individuals. Dogs that already have underlying health problems are at greatest risk and just one raisin can be severely toxic. Experts agree that there is no “safe” dose of grapes and raisins.
Our emergency vets have drawn up an advice guide on what to do if a dog eats grapes or raisins — or foods including them such as hot cross buns, mince pies and fruit loaf.
7. Macadamia nuts
Within 12 hours of ingestion, macadamia nuts can cause dogs to experience weakness, depression, tremors, vomiting and increased body temperature. These symptoms tend to last for approximately 12 to 48 hours. If you suspect your dog has consumed macadamia nuts note the possible quantity consumed and contact your vet.
Yeast
Yeast dough can cause gas to accumulate in your dog’s digestive system as a result of the dough rising. Not only can this be painful but it may also cause the stomach or intestines to become blocked. So while small bits of bread can be given as a treat — due to the fact that risks are diminished once the yeast has fully risen — never give your dog yeast dough. Just like yeast rises in bread, it will also expand and rise within your pup’s tummy. Make sure they don’t get any. While mild cases will cause gas, lots of farting and discomfort — too much of it could rupture their stomach and intestines. Yeast dough is also dangerous because as it ferments and rises it makes alcohol which can lead to alcohol poisoning.
9.Cooked or small bones.
While feeding your dog bones may seem like a good idea, it’s important to remember that dogs may choke on them, develop intestinal obstructions after swallowing pieces of bone, damage their teeth chewing them, or sustain internal injury as bone splinters can puncture your dog’s digestive tract.
If you do choose to give your dog a bone be sure to keep an eye on him while he tucks in and avoid giving cooked bones, which splinter more easily, or bones that are small enough to get stuck in their intestines. Eating large quantities of bone can often cause constipation, so try to monitor the amount your dog manages to consume.
10. Corn on the cob
Corn on the cob may seem like a healthy table scrap to give your dog, but unlike most vegetables, it does not digest well in a dog’s stomach. If your dog swallows large chunks of the cob, or even whole, it can cause an intestinal blockage due to its size and shape. Signs to look out for are vomiting, loss of appetite or reduced appetite, absence of faeces or diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort.
11. Xylitol
Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. The increase in insulin leads to hypoglycemia (lowered sugar levels). Initial signs of toxicosis include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination. Signs can progress to seizures. Elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days.
12. Salt and Salty Snack Foods
Salty Snacks.Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets. Signs that your pet may have eaten too many salty foods include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death. As such, we encourage you to avoid feeding salt-heavy snacks like potato chips, pretzels, and salted popcorn to your pets.
13. Citrus
The stems, leaves, peels, fruit and seeds of citrus plants contain varying amounts of citric acid, essential oils that can cause irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression if ingested in significant amounts. Small doses, such as eating the fruit, are not likely to present problems beyond minor stomach upset.
14. Avocado
Avocados contain persin, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting and heart congestion. The most dangerous part of an avocado is the pit because it is a choking hazard and it is full of persin. If you think your dog has ingested an avocado pit, call your vet asap. If your dog ate a small piece of avocado, it will probably be okay, but make sure you monitor your dog and call your vet for further care.
15. Candy, Chewing Gum, Toothpaste & Mouthwash
Not only does candy contain sugar, but it often contains xylitol, which can lead to vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures and liver failure.
16. Apple Seeds
The casing of apple seeds are toxic to a dog as they contain a natural chemical (amygdlin) that releases cyanide when digested. This is really only an issue if a large amount was eaten and the seed were chewed up by the dog, causing it to enter its bloodstream. To play it safe, be sure to core and seed apples before you feed them to your dog.
17. Persimmon, Peach & Plum Pits
Pits/seeds from these fruits can cause intestinal issues in dogs. Additionally, peach and plum pits have cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs (and people!)
18. Human Vitamins
It isn’t recommended to give your dog one of your vitamins or supplements. Human vitamins often contain 100% of the recommended daily amount of various minerals. This could cause an overdose of a mineral for your dog.
The most dangerous vitamin is prenatal vitamins, which have a higher dose of iron and can cause iron toxicity in pets. If your dog ingests a bunch of prenatal vitamins (or other vitamins with a high dosage of iron) you should call your vet immediately.
19. Marijuana
Depending how much your dog was exposed to can affect the level of poison. There isn’t much information out about dogs and marijuana but from what we can find, these are the common symptoms: slow response times, dribbling urine, heart rate change, neurological stimulation, hyperactivity, coma and even death.
19. Rhubarb & Tomato Leaves
These contain oxalates, which can cause, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weakness, tremors and bloody urine.
20. Tobacco
Tobacco contains nicotine, which can be lethal to dogs. Symptoms include vomiting, abnormal heart rate, tremors and weakness. Tobacco poisoning can present itself within 1 hour of ingestion.
21. Fish
The primary fish that you need to be careful about are salmon and trout. Raw salmon can be fatal to dogs if the fish is infected with a certain parasite.
22. Hops
This beer ingredient can be bad for your dog. The consumption of hops cause panting, an increased heart rate, fever, seizures, and even death.
23. Mushrooms
The wrong mushroom can be fatal to humans as well as your pet.
24. Starfruit
Soluble oxalate-containing plants contain oxalic acid and oxalate salts, and must be differentiated from insoluble oxalate plants (which are less toxic). Examples of soluble calcium oxalate-containing plants include: star fruit, common or garden rhubarb, shamrock plant, etc. In general, soluble calcium oxalate poisoning is more commonly associated with large animals (from livestock chronically grazing). However, when ingested in large enough quantities in small animals, it can result in poisoning in dogs, cats, and even humans.
Soluble calcium oxalates are present in varying degrees in all parts of the plant. For example, rhubarb stems are edible, but the leaves are not. When soluble oxalate salts are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, they bind with body’s calcium, resulting in a sudden drop in calcium. Rarely, acute renal failure can be seen from ingestion of plants or fruit containing these soluble oxalate crystals. Clinical signs of this type of poisoning include drooling, inappetance, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weakness, tremors, bloody urine, and changes in thirst and urination.
Common signs to watch for:
Drooling
Inappetance
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Lethargy
Weakness
Tremors
Bloody urine
Changes in thirst and urination