They are the best companions, faithful, cheerful and playful, but it is possible that we are not feeding them in the right way, and the effects are going to be seen in the long term, that is why in this article we want to talk to you about what are the Toxic Foods for Dogs .
Ways to Feed a Dog
There are different ways to feed dogs. From diets that are called natural, such as the Barf Diet, according to which we must feed our dogs with a natural diet, understanding raw meat, vegetables, and others as natural, to diets that are based on leftovers from the meals that their owners prepare, without forgetting the processed food for dogs or the dog food.
They receive the name of diets but the name does not mean that they are literally a diet, because we are not in the presence of a nutritional plan for a dog to lose weight, but it is a food planning so that our dog is fed in the way correct.
And although it is known that since time immemorial dogs have been fed with leftovers from household meals, although with some exceptions, the truth is that there are good foods for humans, which we eat in a way that is certain Foods that humans take in the usual way but that can produce an absolutely pernicious effect for dogs, even toxic.
Foods that are Toxic to Dogs
In this article we intend to help you, giving you advice and information on good nutrition for your pet, and toxic dog foods, so we are going to tell you which are the common foods that turn out to be the most dangerous and toxic for your dog.
We insist that there are foods that should be prohibited for dogs, remembering that not all of them are necessarily fatal, but they are toxic if they are consumed in large quantities, which can vary depending on the size or age of our pet.
There are foods that are harmful, although you can eat and tolerate them, but in the long run they will produce reactions that will have a negative effect on your body. It should also be borne in mind that not all dogs have the same reaction to the toxins produced by these foods, but we can assure you that this list is generally harmful for them. The least recommended are:
The chocolate
Chocolate is a food that is extremely harmful to dogs, in any of its presentations. It does not matter whether it is chocolate in ounces, chocolates, chocolate yogurt or any type of sweet that has chocolate. All foods, processed or not, that contain cocoa, chocolate or any of their derivatives are highly harmful to our dogs.
This is because chocolate has a toxin called theobromine, which has no effect on humans but is very harmful to other animals, such as dogs. It is a toxin that is already present in the cocoa bean, from which chocolate is extracted, for that reason there is no kind of chocolate that does not have it in its composition.
It is true that dogs love chocolate, but it is highly harmful to their health. In inadequate amounts it can cause convulsions, tachycardia, rapid heartbeat, diarrhea and vomiting and even, if the amount ingested has been large, death.
Onion and Garlic
Both onion and garlic are foods that turn out to be very toxic for our dogs. Regardless of whether they are raw, cooked or powdered as condiments, they are equally toxic to dogs.
This is because onion and garlic contain highly harmful sulfoxides, which can cause significant anemia in our pets and destroy their red blood cells, as well as kidney failure and endless serious problems.
Although it is true that to produce very serious consequences, and even death, it would be necessary for our dog to ingest large amounts of these foods, we must not ignore the fact that some animals may have their own idiosyncrasies that make them more vulnerable to the sulfoxides
In fact, cases of dogs have been found that are susceptible to the simple dust of these foods. However, it is likely that you will find them as ingredients in diets or food prepared for dogs, such as feed, or in the Yum diet, although they usually use very small amounts as a natural food preservative, but remember that they are not suitable for our dogs.
The point is that when a dog consumes garlic or onions, they do not show signs of illness immediately, it will most likely take a few days before exhibiting the first symptoms. One of them is that the color of his urine changes to orange or reddish, which will indicate that he may have kidney problems from having consumed these foods that are very harmful to these animals.
As a general rule, dogs do not like raw onions, but if they are fed on cobras in human-prepared foods, or if they are present in certain animal feeds, it may be that we are not giving account, we are giving them food that is toxic, so we must take extreme precautions.
Dairy
A large majority of foods that contain dairy are toxic to our pets, due to the fact that they contain lactose. Lactose is, to explain better, the natural sugar that milk has and that is assimilated by the human body since we have an enzyme called lactase.
In dogs, this enzyme stops being produced after a few months of life, a reason that prevents them from being able to digest the lactose that milk or its derivatives contain, and in doing so, it can cause serious effects on their gastrointestinal system.
In the event that our dog consumes milk or products containing lactose, they will have diarrhoea, stomach pains, gas and serious associated digestive disorders. For all these reasons, the dog should be prevented from consuming this type of food, although it is known that they may like it a lot.
But not all dairy products are toxic to our animals, since natural yogurts do not have lactose, since it has previously been consumed by the lacto-bacilli that are naturally present in yogurts. In this case we must say that natural yogurts are beneficial for our dogs, because they do not represent a danger and help them raise their levels of calcium, magnesium and proteins, among many others.
On the contrary, they should not consume fresh cheese, since it is not recommended for dogs, since it has not been properly fermented or cured and may still contain lactose.
Potato, Tomato and Avocado
Certainly it has been shown that these foods are very beneficial for humans, but in the case of dogs they are highly harmful. They should never be eaten raw, or in any of its variants, because dogs can become intoxicated very quickly.
The cause is that tomatoes and potatoes have oxalates and glycoalkaloids, while avocados have persin. If our dog consumes any of these foods, it is certain that he will suffer some type of digestive disorder, as well as problems with his urine, in addition to respiratory anomalies, and in case of extreme sensitivity, he may fall into a coma.
Of course, your dog is going to lick his lips when he smells that you are making some French fries, chopping a tomato or cutting up an avocado for a salad. In this case, you have to remember that they are very good for your diet, but they do not have to be good for your pet's, so do not contribute to their illness due to a poor diet.
Grapes and Raisins
It is not yet known what is the reason why grapes are so toxic for dogs, that is something that is still under study, but there is no doubt that it has been clearly shown that they are very toxic for the dogs. Simply ingesting a few can lead to severe kidney failure and even death.
In ancient times it was customary to reward dogs by giving them raisins, just as we do today when we give them biscuits or pieces of sausage, but over time it has been shown that it is highly inadvisable. Do not trust that your dog has already eaten grapes before and that nothing has happened to him, it is not good that you take that risk, because no type of dog is immune to the toxins that grapes contain.
For the same reason, you should not feed them raisins, which are derived from grapes, or other processed foods that contain them, because they retain the same amount of toxins for our dogs.
Apples, Plums and Fruits with Seeds
Apples, plums, peaches, persimmons, and many other similar fruits can be very harmful to dogs. It is not that the fruits themselves are harmful, even some of them are even recommended. The problem is in the hole or in its seeds that are located in its center and that are extremely dangerous for them.
It turns out that the seeds of these foods contain small portions of cyanide, which humans can assimilate, as we have said, in small portions, but that dogs cannot assimilate. In addition to cyanide, these fruits can cause other problems, as is the case with plum stones, which can cause intestinal obstructions, which can cause the death of the dog, before they can be detected.
A dog found to be intoxicated with cyanide due to the seeds it has consumed can exhibit very serious symptoms such as hyper-ventilation, seizures, severe respiratory problems and even death.
The liver
The liver has a large amount of vitamin A, this vitamin is not harmful in adequate doses, but they are not able to naturally assimilate a large amount of this vitamin, particularly those provided by the liver.
It can be given in small portions, but in a very spaced way, it is not necessary to turn the liver into a food on a daily basis. We warn you that this is a food that is used naturally in the BARF diet, although it is generally less harmful to serve it cooked than raw, which also happens with eggs.
If a dog suffers from an indiscriminate increase in vitamin A, it can have diseases such as anorexia, bone deformation and even death.
The bones
Popular knowledge has always told us that bones are healthy for dogs, that they have eaten them all their lives and that nothing will happen to them, but that popular advice could not be more wrong. The only bones that dogs can consume are meaty or milky bones, particularly chicken carcasses, wings, thighs, pork ribs, but as long as they are totally raw.
In no way should we give them cooked. The reason is that cooked bones tend to splinter and can get stuck in the throat or in the gastrointestinal system of our dog, an issue that not only represents a great ailment, which will cause many problems and inconveniences, but can also cause death.
Another class of bones that dogs can eat are large bones, which are hard and round, such as beef or veal knee. Never give your dog cooked or inappropriate bones, only tender milky bones or beef knee.
The alcohol
A person in their right mind would never give a dog alcohol, but sometimes as a game we have seen it. They usually think of giving the dog a little beer or wine to see if they like him, or just to get him a little drunk and laugh at his adventures. These are pranks you should never pull, as alcohol is literally a very powerful poison for dogs.
In intermediate doses, it is possible that it can cause our dog to go into a coma or even die. We assure you that we are not joking. Dogs in no way tolerate alcohol.
Other Toxic Dog Foods
- Walnuts: they are toxic to dogs because they have a high phosphorus content, which is why they are not recommended at all, because dogs cannot process them.
- Raw eggs: Through their shell, dogs can acquire salmonellosis and this, without a doubt, can kill them. If we want to give them raw eggs, it must be without the shell.
- Salmon and other raw fish: Usually they contain toxins and parasites that can be very harmful to dogs. If you are going to give them raw, you have to first freeze them for a few days to kill the parasites.
- Mushrooms and fungi: The vast majority of mushrooms and fungi contain toxins that are very harmful to dogs. They cause vomiting, diarrhea, kidney problems and many others.
- Coffee or tea: caffeine and theine are poison for our dogs. You must prohibit in your house that they give them to drink drinks that contain caffeine, theine or their derivatives.
- Treats, sweets or candies: they usually contain sugar or xylitol, a sweetener that is very harmful to dogs, in the same sense as sugar. Remember that dogs cannot process it. They are like diabetic people.
- Salt: salt is very bad for dogs, it causes convulsions and vomiting, and in extreme cases it can kill them.
- Scrapes or waste from large fish: they are highly inadvisable for feeding a dog. They can cause problems throughout the digestive system.
- Expired food: Some people feed dogs food that is expired, spoiled, or moldy. This practice should not be tolerated, because these foods contain toxins that can cause a lot of damage.
- Chard or spinach: They should not be given to dogs, because they have oxalic acid, which is very harmful to their health.
- Yeasts: when we are preparing dough to make bread or pastries, we must take extreme precautions with our dogs. In particular, the yeast is very toxic to them and they should never eat it.
- Fat: It is true that dogs eat fatty foods, of course, but it should always be in controlled portions. Excess fat can cause serious problems of a pancreatic nature, diarrhea and vomiting.
Tips
With this list we wanted to expand your knowledge about the foods that we normally consume in our homes, but that are highly harmful for our dogs, although they are not the only ones that exist.
We wanted you to become aware of them and to actively participate in planning your best friend's diet, trying to take care of him and avoid toxic dog food to prevent ailments that they should not have if we, the owners, had been better informed and Be more careful about your diet.
It is our obligation as those responsible for their health and quality of life, to make sure of what we feed our dog, since as we have mentioned, what suits us does not have to be good for them. So we hope you have taken good note of everything.
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