Dogs are far and away the most popular pet in America. In fact, over 63 million households in the USA have at least one dog. We love our dogs, and owners will show that love in different ways. Some may give their dog lots of treats, while others will get them some great toys from Furry Friends Gear.
Others may even show this love by giving their dog a bit of human food from time to time. While it is fairly normal to feed your dog a little bit of table scraps here and there, you want to be careful. Some human food is perfectly safe for a dog to consume, but others can be incredibly harmful, toxic or potentially even fatal.
In an effort to help you out and keep your dog safe, this article is going to go over a few different kinds of human foods you should never feed your dog.
Here are 5 human foods you should never feed your dog!
Chocolate
If you have a sweet tooth and always need chocolate on hand, it is important to keep it away from your dog. The reason that chocolate is harmful is because it contains methylxanthines. These can interrupt the metabolic process of your dog, and lead to an abnormal heart rhythm, as well as vomiting, hyperactivity and possible death. While all chocolate is bad, dark chocolate is worse than milk or white chocolate.
Gum and Candy
While gum and candy might be your favorite treats, they should never be given to your pet. The reason for this is because they include Xylitol. This is a sweetener used in everything from gum, to candy, to even toothpaste. It can cause the blood sugar of your dog to drop dramatically, and can cause liver failure. Some of the symptoms your dog might be exhibiting are a loss of coordination, a lethargic nature, vomiting and seizures.
Garlic
Garlic is a staple in many different dishes, but these are not ones that you should share with your dog. They can create anemia by damaging red blood cells, and cause an elevated heart rate and weakness. Symptoms can take a while to appear, so it is important to keep a watchful eye. Like garlic, onions and leeks should also not be fed to your dog. While it is not quite as harmful to dogs as it is for cats, it should still be avoided.
Grapes and Raisins
Because grapes and raisins are a fruit, you might think they are safe for dogs, but that is not the case. Eating grapes can lead to kidney failure in dogs, and vomiting is often a common occurrence. It isn’t known why these are toxic to dogs exactly, but be sure to avoid them either way.
Macadamia Nuts
While they might not be as popular a food as some of the others listed, Macadamia nuts are among the most harmful foods to your dog. Ingesting only a few of these nuts can make your dog painfully ill. Ingestion can lead to muscle shakes, vomiting, hyperthermia and potentially death. In addition to Macadamia nuts, other nuts should generally be avoided as well. Because they have lots of oils and fats, it can lead to vomiting or diarrhea in the dog.
In conclusion, you want to do all you can to ensure your dog isn’t able to consume any of the previously mentioned foods. While some foods can be safe, always do your research beforehand if you are unsure whether a food item is healthy or not. Of course, this is far from an exhaustive list, so never feed your pet any human food without knowing it’s safe.
Find even more helpful tips in our pet archives.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.
