Tips for making safe food choices for your pets

We have animals. So make our friends. This means that parties and gatherings often involve our pets. And, even though my friends know the “rules,” sometimes part of a potato chip is secretly offered, in response to the wretched eyes of four-legged guests.

A potato chip will not harm them, but there are many other human foods that can. Here are some treatments to avoid, all year round.

Grapes, raisins and raisins

These fruits are delicious, and many pets like them. Be careful when you are feeding baked goods, such as bread, rolls and biscuits usually, pets love those types of foods.

  • These fruits cause failure sudden kidney in dogs and can cause kidney failure in cats and ferrets as well.
  • While not all dogs or cats will develop kidney failure after eating raisins
    or raisins, it is impossible to know which pets will be susceptible to this fruit.
  • Therefore, all pets (especially dogs) that eat grapes, raisins or currants should
    be closely monitored and treated appropriately.
  • If a small dog eats only a small number of grapes or raisins, this is considered an emergency.

Caffeine – Coffee, Tea and Soda

While it would be rare for an animal to drink your coffee, there are other, more “pet accessible” sources of caffeine.

  • Caffeine is most commonly found in coffee, coffee grounds, tea, tea bags, soda, energy drinks and diet pills. Theobromine, a cousin chemical for caffeine, is also found in chocolate (see chocolate toxicity).
  • Pet Threat: Pets are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than humans.
  • While 1-2 rounds of coffee, tea or soda will not contain enough caffeine to cause poisoning in most pets, taking moderate amounts of coffee basket, tea or 1-2 diet pills can easily cause death. in small dogs or cats.

Chocolate and cocoa

When it comes to chocolate, it is imperative to remember this fact: darkness is more dangerous. The darker the chocolate, the greater the amount of theobromine, a cousin chemical for caffeine, that it contains. Thus, bread chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, cocoa powder and dark gourmet chocolate are more dangerous than milk chocolate.

  • White chocolate has very little theobromine and will not cause chocolate poisoning in animals.
  • It is the dose that makes the poison! Pets that swallow some chocolate chips or 1-2 animals of a chocolate chip cookie are unlikely to develop chocolate poisoning.
  • Due to the large amount of fat in chocolate, some pets may develop pancreatitis after eating chocolate or baked goods containing chocolate.

xylitol

Xylitoli is a common sugar substitute used in sugar-free chewing gum, breathing mint, candy and baked goods. It is also found in some smoking cessation products like nicotine gum. It has the properties of plaque fighting and is also found (in non-toxic amounts) in animal mouth and mouthwash.

  • Xylitol can cause a life-threatening drop in blood sugar as well as cause liver damage for dogs. Cats and humans do not experience this problem.
  • Chewing gum and breathing nuances usually contain 0.22-1.0 grams of xylitol per piece of chewing gum or mint. Thus, to achieve a potentially toxic dose, a 10 pound dog would only need to eat a piece of gum!

Onions, Garlic, Chives, and Leeks

The small amount of garlic sometimes found in dog treatments is unlikely to be harmful to dogs. However, if cats or dogs swallow a tasty pan with bitter onions, garlic or leeks, poisoning can result. Swallowing a large number of garlic or powder can cause poising. Garlic was once thought of as a “home remedy” for flea infections; however, it has been shown to be ineffective and is not recommended by the Pet Poison Helpline.

  • These vegetables can cause the destruction of red blood cells (specifically, the formation of the Heinz body) and result in anemia.
  • Onions or garlic of> 0.5% of the dog’s body weight are potentially toxic. For example, this would equate to a 30 lb dog swallowing about 2.5 ounces of onion or garlic.
  • Japanese cats and dog breeds (Akita, Shiba Inu, etc.) are even more susceptible.

Yeast bread dough

Raw homemade dough and bought from the store containing yeast (used for bread, dinner rolls, etc.). Dough that did not contain yeast can result in multiple problems if an animal touches it.

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages aside, alcohol can be found in some surprising places. Rummy-soaked cakes or other raw desserts that contain alcohol may contain alcohol to cause poisoning in pets. Alcohol is also a major byproduct of affected yeast dough (see sourdough bread ).

Even small amounts of alcohol, especially in dogs and cats, can cause life-threatening toxicity.

Fatty foods such as butter, oils, meat drippings / fats, chocolate and meat waste can cause pancreatitis when affected, especially by dogs. Some species, miniature staffs, in particular, are more likely to develop pancreatitis than other breeds.

Corn mushrooms

Although non-toxic, corn columns are tempting and delicious for pets. Corn flakes are dangerous, though they can not make it all the way through the intestinal tract, causing a potentially life-threatening obstruction.

Food for safe animals

Not all the darkness and doom for the pets who picnic with us, here are some healthy human foods that tackle ideas from the Pet Poison Helpline.

  • apples
  • peas
  • Green beans
  • Popcorn (Keep the butter and salt!)
  • redhead
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Zucchini and summer squash
  • Winter squash
  • Ice cream chips (Freeze thinned meat cubes or chicken broth for a real frozen treat!)
  • lettuces
  • boronica

Please note: This article is provided for informational purposes only. If your pet shows any signs of illness, please consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.