Five things you should never feed your dog
Five things you should never feed your dog
It’s hard to resist those big brown eyes staring up at you, but can a little reward from the table really be that bad for your dog?
Well, that depends on what it is and what’s in it.
Some foods are just incrediblybad for our furry friends and can lead to all sorts of health problems. Being a good parent for your fur baby is knowing when to say, “No”.
Petplan looks at the top five no-nos when it comes to your dog's diet:
1. Chocolate
Chocolate should never be given to dogs, and must be safely stored out of their reach. Dogs are very sensitive to the theobromine found in chocolate because they can't break it down efficiently.
Signs of toxicity occur within twelve hours of eating the chocolate, and include diarrhoea, vomiting, excitement, seizures and coma.
The amount of chocolate eaten, the size of the dog and the level of theobromine found in the chocolate will determine the seriousness of the problem.
The theobromine dose increases with the cocoa level, so cocoa beans and powder, and dark and continental chocolate have higher levels of theobromine than milk chocolate, and white chocolate has the lowest but is still not safe for dog consumption.
2. Cat Food
Dogs are really partial to cat food, primarily because of the high protein content, but it is not good for them in the long term.
They are different species and a dog's dietary needs are very different from a cat's and therefore, it is best for cats and dogs to stick to their own food.
3. Grapes
Substituting high calorie treats and snacks with fruit and vegetables is fine, but never feed your dog grapes, which contain an as-yet unidentified toxin causing kidney failure, sometimes when only a few grapes have been eaten.
If they are in a fruit bowl, ensure your dog cannot steal from it. Raisins pose an even higher risk, so keep that fruit cake out of reach!
4. Onions and shallots
Onions and shallots should not be fed to dogs in any form (cooked, raw or as onion powder).
They contain thiosulphate, which is not deactivated by cooking and causes haemolytic anaemia in dogs. Garlic and garlic powder also contain thiosulphate in lower levels.
5. Fat balls
Fat balls for wild birds - the inherently high fat content makes these very attractive to dogs, but if eaten could result in pancreatitis. Store fat balls safely away from your dog, and site the feeders high up and out of reach.
Depending on the type of dog, it’s a good idea to stick to a diet approved by your vet, or do some research into healthy foods that you can share with your dog. Remember to resist that cute face and keep most of your human food to yourself.
Do you have any other items to add to our list? Just let us know by commenting below.
