Dogs are wonderful companions to humans, and many dog owners consider their dogs to be a part of their family. However, it’s essential to remember that most dogs have different nutritional needs than humans and may not be able to digest some “Huma” foods properly. Some human foods should never be fed to dogs since they can potentially cause serious health problems in a dog. Here are some of the foods that you should avoid feeding to your dog at all costs.
GRAPES/RAISINS
Many dogs like to eat grapes and raisins, though they can be very toxic to dogs. An unknown toxin in the “flesh” part of a grape seems to have adverse effects on a dog’s health. The symptoms of this toxin appear to be vomiting, diarrhea, severe abdominal pain and loss of appetite. The exact ratio of the toxin needed to produce these effects is relatively inconclusive, though many veterinarians believe it to be 1/3 an ounce per pound of a dog’s body weight. However, grape-seed extract seems relatively safe for dogs, as no adverse health effects have been reported when dogs consume grape-seed extract.
ONIONS/GARLIC
Four different toxins in onions and garlic can be very harmful to a dog’s health. These toxins are allyl disulphide, S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide, methyl disulphide and n-propyl disulphide. These toxins can be found in fresh onions or fresh garlic, as well as dried onions and garlic, which are spices. The effects of these toxins in a dog are to cause a medical condition called” “Heinz Body Anemi”. In Heinz Body Anemia, the red blood cells in Adog’s begin to break down, and anemia occurs. Though these toxins are contained in both garlic and onions, onions have proven to be slightly more toxic than garlic. Some commercial dog food formulas include a small amount of garlic, which has not yet proven toxic enough to cause visible symptoms. Potential symptoms in dogs that result from consuming garlic or onions include vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, discoloured urine, allergic symptoms, asthma and liver damage.
CHOCOLATE
Chocolate is pretty well-known for being toxic to dogs, though the adverse effects of chocolate can also come from tea, coffee and any other product that contains caffeine. The harmful substances contained in these foods are called Methylxanthines, which can cause potentially adverse conditions in a dog’s heart and central nervous system. Caffeine, being a stimulant, can also cause a dog’s heartbeat to become irregular. The symptoms associated with exposure to this toxin in dogs include excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, anxiety, muscle tremors, bloating and hyperactivity. These symptoms usually manifest anywhere from six to twelve hours after a dog ingests food that contains methylxanthines. The toxic dose is estimated to begin with as little as 9mg per pound of a dog’s body weight. As the dosage increases, the symptoms increase in severity as well.” This advice we are giving is not our own; it is copied from other sites; we are not vets; we are just sharing advice.”