The Most Dangerous Foods For Dogs
If you have a dog, somewhere along the line, your vet will tell you that your dog shouldnt be eating people food. Sometimes, this can be entirely beyond your control; if a bit of tomato sauce falls on the floor, and you cant clean it up in time, whats an owner to do? Otherwise, the general advice is dont feed your dog scraps. Theres a good reason: dogs cant handle many of the foods that people eat on a regular basis.
First, lets look at what a dog is. A dog is a domesticated version of Canis lupus a canid with a pack structure. Despite being almost exclusively found near humans, dogs and wolves are not separate species in the eyes of science. Dogs are still mostly carnivores, even if their dietary requirements have gotten more flexible. Got that down? Good. Would my dog eat this if he was a wolf? is usually a good starting point for determining whats good and bad for your canine.That said, since dogs have literally been around people since before the invention of the wheel, they have evolved some adaptations that wolves have not. One of the first things that scavenging wolves developed was the ability to handle grain; domestic dogs can tolerate grain, but wolves cannot. Then there are foods like cheese, which maybe dogs shouldnt have, but it helps us get their pills in, so we let it slide.
20. Raw Meat
19. Milk
Threat Level: Low. A little bit of cheese wont kill your dog, but dont give them dairy on a regular basis. Cat people, take heed.
18. Spinach
Dangerous Foods Dogs Cant Eat
Its hard to resist those puppy eyes when youre chewing on a piece of chicken or scooping bits of eggs and toast into your mouth. Should you give your dog the leftovers on your plate, or is he better off sticking with his own dry dog food?
We all know there are some foods dogs cant eat, but its tempting to want to share our human goodies with those fur babies we love so much. Dogs are family, after all, and its normal to want to treat them like family in every aspect.
But at the end of the day, dogs are not human, and they have different digestive systems, dietary needs and sensitivities we as their human parents need to be aware of. That said, theres nothing wrong with wanting to share some goodies with your pup.
But before you scoop food from your plate into your dogs dish, you should know there is a long list of common human foods dogs cant eat, some of which may surprise you.
Contents
If you are immediately concerned that your dog ate one of the above foods dogs cant eat, scroll down to the number that applies to you to learn more about the toxicity level and potential dangers of this food.
What To Do If You Think Your Dog Has Ingested Something Harmful
If you think your dog has eaten something potentially toxic, call the vet. Do it.
There are also other pet poison hotlines you can call if you have any questions or concerns. We also recommend posting your veterinarians phone number somewhere easy to find, like on the refrigerator. This is helpful in case a visitor such as a dog walker or pet sitter requires the information.
Here are the numbers to keep in your phone:
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Grapes And Raisins: Cant Eat
You should never feed grapes or raisins to your dog.
Grapes and raisins contain toxic compounds that are harmful to dogs. They have the potential to lead to rapid kidney failure and death .
Even small amounts of grapes and raisins can make your dog sick, so its important to avoid giving them to your dog altogether.
Other Foods Harmful To Dogs
Dairy products can upset your dogs digestive system and cause diarrhea as well as food allergies. Ingestion of just a few macadamia nuts can cause weakness, paralysis and lack of coordination. Avocados contain persin, which can cause mild stomach upset in dogs. The bones in meat, chicken and fish can also be very hazardous to your dog. They can splinter and stick in the throat, break teeth or cut the intestines.
If you are unsure if you can feed a food to your dog, always consult your veterinarian first. As a general rule of thumb it is best to avoid feeding your dog human food anyways. While it can be hard to ignore those puppy dog eyes looking at you at the dinner table, feeding your dog can often result in weight gain among other more serious issues. To keep your dog out of harms way, it is best to stick to a diet of food specifically formulated to meet your dogs nutritional needs.
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Protecting Dogs From Harmful Foods
As evidenced above, there are many potentially harmful foods to keep away from your pets. Some strategies for keeping your pet safe include:
Keep toxic foods secured away from dogs. If there are toxic foods for dogs in your home, make sure to put them away as soon as you get home and keep them stored in a secure place. Counter-surfing dogs are talented and motivated and can find anything left on counters.
Make sure friends and family know not to feed your dog. Ask any friends or family members visiting your home not to feed your dog.
Stop feeding table scraps. Dont feed your dog table scraps. Sometimes foods have hidden ingredients, and even if your meal is not toxic, it could lead to gastrointestinal upset or dangerous health conditions such as pancreatitis.
Kal Kan Complete Adult
This dog food makes the list because of questionable ingredient quality that is not nutritional and is somewhat harmful to dogs.
The primary ingredient is corn, which we just mentioned does not provide the proper nutrition your dog needs.
The second ingredient is meat and bone meal which is a dry product from the mammal tissues, including bones, exclusive of any added hair, blood, hoof, hide trimmings, horn, manure, rumen contents, and stomach.
Meat and bone meal may have a lower digestibility than most of the other meat meals.
Scientists believe that this decreased absorption may be because of the lower essential amino acid and higher ash content in the ingredient.
The meat itself can come from any mixture of cattle, pigs, goats or sheep, making classifying impossible for particular food allergens.
Although meat and bone meals are still considered meat concentrates rich in protein, a generic ingredient like this cannot be considered a quality item.
Kal Kans third ingredient is a soybean meal which a by-product or leftover of soybean oil production more often found in farm animal feed.
Although soybean meal comprises about 48% of protein, this ingredient would be estimated to have a lower biological value than meat.
Inexpensive plant-based ingredients like this can boost the total protein, an element that must be considered while judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
I think you get the point that these types of ingredients are not ideal for your furry friend.
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Raw Or Undercooked Meat
Raw meat can contain Escherichia coli and Salmonella, which are types of bacteria that can cause food poisoning in dogs and humans. Cooking the meat properly kills the bacteria.
In recent years, certain manufacturers have promoted the benefits of raw meat for dogs, and some boutique products contain it.
It is important to understand that raw meat diets pose health risks to dogs and may not provide a complete nutritional balance.
Raw Yeast Dough: Cant Eat
It is extremely unsafe for dogs to eat raw yeast dough.
Raw yeast dough is a concern because yeast cells produce alcohol as they ferment, which may lead to alcohol poisoning and death if your dog consumes it .
Furthermore, dogs that eat raw yeast dough may experience severe bloating, as the dough expands in their stomachs. This can cause difficulty breathing and weakness .
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Worst Wet Dog Food: Cesar Filets
Cesar Filets is considered one of the worst dog foods because of its high salt content .
It has sufficient water for processing, animal liver, chicken, beef and meat by-products, wheat gluten, ground wheat flour, cornstarch, salt, pea fiber, sodium tripolyphosphate, calcium carbonate, added color, choline chloride, magnesium.
It helps if you also understand that the quality of ingredients cannot tell the whole story, but the amount of meat in the dog food is critical to consider before determining whether it falls in the best or worst category.
The amount of protein in Cesar filet is about 44%, with 22% fat and 25% carbohydrates.
This analysis shows that this dog food includes an above-average level of protein intake and just near-average fat. At the same time, the carbs are below average compared to a portion of typical canned dog food.
Another factor making it a low-quality dog food is that it has;artificial colorings added;to it, which is useless and not preferred.
Persimmons Peaches And Plums
The problem with these fruits is the seeds or pits. Seeds from persimmons can cause problems in a dog’s small intestine. They can also block their intestines. That can also happen if a dog eats the pit from a peach or plum. Peach and plum pits also have cyanide, which is poisonous to people and dogs. People know not to eat them. Dogs don’t.
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Evangers Dry Dog Food
Evangers Chicken Dry Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutrition levels determined by the AAFCO dog food profiles for all life stages.
Fresh chicken is the first and main ingredient. There is zero corn, soy fillers or wheat.
Other quality ingredients are oatmeal, dried egg, carrots, Vitamin A supplement, d-calcium pantothenate , chicken, chicken meal, dried kelp, cranberries, blueberries, brown rice, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, potassium chloride, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin B12 supplement, Niacin supplement.There is no doubt this product can be considered a good diet plan for your dog.
Foods That Have Gone Bad
Some dogs serve as little vacuum cleaners, cleaning up all the crumbs on the floor, but that doesnt mean they can double as a living compost bin. If a food has mold or you think it has otherwise spoiled, dont feed it to your dog. And take care to keep trash cans and compost bins in a place where the dog cant get into them. ;
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Twin Pet Dry Dog Food
Twin Pet dog food is a plant-based dry dog food utilizing a limited amount of unnamed and unidentified meat as its primary source of animal protein.
Twin Pet contains cheap ingredients of poor quality that do not provide the necessary nutrition to dogs.
Like the dog food brands we already discussed, the first ingredient is corn, so you already know how we feel about that.
The second ingredient is;wheat middlings, also known as wheat mill run. It is a cheap by-product that remains after cereal grain processing.
Unfortunately, the disparities in nutrient content in the wheat middlings can be a critical concern in determining their aptness for being used in any dog food or even livestock feeds.
In actuality, wheat middlings is just the milling dust as well as floor sweepings. It is an ingredient that is typically associated with low-quality pet foods.
The third ingredient is the meat and bone meal, a rendered product from the mammal tissues. It has lower digestibility in comparison with the other meat meals.
Other unhealthy, non-nutritional ingredients in this dog food include unspecified animal fat and salt. The quantity of salt is also unknown, making it difficult to determine the nutritional value of this ingredient.
Altogether this product is one of the worst dog food brands.
Original Line Of Diamond Dog Food
The Diamond Pet Food Company is owned and produced by Schell & Kampeter, and comprises three product lines.
The original Diamond line of dog food lacks the desired nutritional content you should be looking for in your dogs food.
A review of several Diamond dog food products reveals the use of corn, soy and wheat ingredients.
Many of the meat-based ingredients come from unnamed sources like fish meal or meat by-products of questionable quality.
They dont use many artificial flavors and colors like other bad dog food brands on this list, so thats a plus.
Still, it would be good to avoid any brand that makes heavy use of wheat, soy and corn.
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What To Do If Your Dog Eats A Harmful Food
The best way to ensure your dog doesnt eat anything harmful is to keep these foods out of reach.
To minimize the risk, make sure that you dont leave these foods on countertops or tables, in purses or other places where your dog could access them.
If you know your dog has ingested something toxic, consult your veterinarian immediately or call the pet poison hotline.
Treatment will vary depending upon your dogs symptoms and the type of food they was exposed to.
You should never treat or medicate a dog unless a licensed veterinarian advises you to do so.
Summary
The 10 Most Dangerous Foods For Dogs
One of the myths of dog nutrition is that you should never feed your dog people food. There are many foods commonly found on your own tablelike fresh fruit and vegetables and lean meatthat dogs can happily, and healthily partake in. But there are also things in your kitchen that you should keep well away from your dogs bowl, no matter the intensity of the puppy-dog eyes.
Dangerous foods for dogs: what they cant eat
AlcoholYour dog may be drunk in love with you, but thats the only kind of intoxication he needs. Alcohol has the same effect on a dogs liver and brain that it has on yours, but it can do big damage to a dog in much smaller quantities. Even a small amount of alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, central nervous system depression, problems with coordination, difficulty breathing, comas, and even death. And just like humans, the smaller the dog, the greater the effect.
CaffeineDoes your dog need a little extra pep in his step in the morning? Try an invigorating AM jog, but dont even think about sharing your Starbucks. Coffee can cause irreparable damage and even caffeine poisoning if consumed in large enough quantities. This risk extends from tea, coffee, and energy drinks to soda, cocoa, and even some painkillers. Symptoms of caffeine poisoning include restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, and muscle tremors, not entirely unlike how we feel after drinking two cold brews in one sitting.
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Alchohol And Yeast Dough
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Foods That Can Be Poisonous To Pets
Some foods that are considered good for people can be very dangerous for pets. The list below highlights some of the most common foods that can be dangerous to animals.;This is not an exhaustive list, and any decision to provide your pet with food not specifically intended for animals should be discussed with your veterinarian or pet nutritionist.;
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Wegmans Bruiser Kibble Variety Mix
This brand of dry dog food has ingredients that have been considered dangerous for dogs to eat, including BHA, xantham gum, BHT, corn gluten, and food coloring.
Wegmans Bruiser Kibble Variety Mix demonstrates the motto that you typically get what you pay for.
It is affordable dog food, but if youre looking to give your dog stable nourishment, you should look for an alternative option.
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People Foods To Avoid Feeding Your Pets
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Phone Number: 426-4435
Our Animal Poison Control Center experts have put together a handy list of the top toxic people foods to avoid feeding your pet. As always, if you suspect your pet has eaten any of the following foods, please note the amount ingested and contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 426-4435.
AlcoholAlcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death. Under no circumstances should your pet be given any alcohol. If you suspect that your pet has ingested alcohol, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately.
AvocadoAvocado is primarily a problem for birds, rabbits, donkeys, horses, and ruminants including sheep and goats. The biggest concern is for cardiovascular damage and death in birds and rabbits.;Horses, donkeys and ruminants frequently get swollen, edematous head and neck.
CitrusThe 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.