Foods Your Dog Should Never Eat

Dairy items are bad for your dog to eat
Forbidden Foods for your dog
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It’s hard to resist when your dog looks at you with those big puppy eyes and begs for food. However, like any good ‘parent,’ sometimes you have to know when to say “No.” There are some foods that are not good for dogs to eat, and some that can even kill your pet. These are foods that you should keep out of reach for your dog’s health and safety.

7. Ice Cream
It’s probably tempting to give your dog a little ice cream, especially in hot summer weather when you are enjoying a dish and puppy wants to share. However, dairy products can cause severe stomach and digestive problems in dogs that lead to cramping and diarrhea. The same goes for cheese, milk, and other dairy products.

6. Alcohol
The internet, especially Youtube, is full of video and pictures of dogs drinking beer and other alcoholic beverages. They may seem funny or cute, but in the real world, they can have a deadly effect on your pet. Dogs don’t metabolize things the same way people do, and even small amounts of alcohol can lead to symptoms of drunkenness in pets; it can also lead to seizures, coma, and death.

5. Chocolate
Some dogs have a sweet tooth, but chocolate is a definite no-no. The effects of chocolate raise your dog’s body temperature to dangerous levels, and cause rapid heartbeat and breathing problems. If your dog craves sweets, there are snacks made especially for dogs that won’t harm them; check with your vet or a pet supply store.

4. Onions
Onions and their cousin, garlic, can cause severe problems with your dog, including respiratory distress, red blood cell, and liver damage. Although it is relatively easy to keep them out of your pet’s reach, be aware that a lot of sauces, soups, garnishes, and condiments also contain them.

3. Avocado
The persin in avocados is very toxic to most mammals. It causes respiratory distress, congestion, fluid around the heart, and will lead to death. Even a small amount of avocado or anything containing it will cause problems. This includes the pit, skin, and even the leaves and bark of an avocado plant, as well as the pulp.

Forbidden Foods for your dog
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2. Raisins and Grapes
There is a substance in the peels of grapes, and by extrapolation, raisins, that is highly toxic to a dog’s kidneys. Ingestion of this fruit will cause vomiting, excessive thirst, and increased urination. In large amounts, it will lead to kidney failure and death.

You should know that some steak sauces and condiments not only contain garlic, onions, and other spices that can be toxic to pets, but many brands also contain raisins. Keep that in mind if you’re tempted to give your dog a piece of steak or hamburger that you’ve smothered in steak sauce.

*On a side note, take care if you give your dog raw bones. Some sliver easily, and can cause a choking hazard. Never feed a dog cooked bones for this reason.

1. Artificial sweetener
Some artificial sweeteners are deadly. One in particular, called xylitol, found in many sugar-free products like gum, candy, and cookies. This sweetener is highly toxic and initially causes vomiting and problems with coordination. It takes only a few days for this to progress to seizures and liver failure.

In order to keep your pet safe, it is best to keep any foods that contain the items on this lost well out of reach. That includes leaving food unattended on a table top or counter, and cover trash cans securely with a lid, or taking trash that contains food scraps outside immediately.