How to Avoid Foods that May Be Toxic for Pets
Anyone who has owned a dog for any length of time quickly has learned that dogs are smart and resourceful. If you inadvertently leave the dog treat container in a room with the dog overnight, chances are good the dog will have figured out how to open the container, leaving you with an empty container and a dog with a tummy ache by the following morning.
Toxic Food for Dogs
Of course while overeating dog treats is basically harmless to the dog, other types of food–especially food made for humans–won’t be safe for the dog to steal and eat without your knowledge. Some foods could even poison your dog, leaving it with long-term health problems or potentially causing death. The most dangerous food for dogs to eat include:
- Chocolate. A chemical in chocolate, called theobromide, can cause problems with the dog’s internal organs. A dog could die from ingesting too much chocolate, so if you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate inadvertently, you need to take it to see your veterinarian immediately. Darker chocolates are much more dangerous to dogs than lighter types of chocolate, such as milk chocolate.
- Grapes and raisins. While doctors don’t exactly understand the toxicity in grapes and raisins for dogs, there’s no misunderstanding about the danger these foods have for dogs. Even eating just a few grapes or raisins can kill a dog. Be especially careful of cookies or desserts that may contain raisins, as a dog will be attracted to the sweet treat.
- Macadamia nuts. If your dog eats macadamia nuts, you can expect it to suffer from vomiting and joint pain. A dog that has eaten even just a few macadamia nuts may seem extremely tired. Such symptoms may not appear for up to two days after the dog eats the nuts, so keep an eye on the animal.
- Tea and coffee. The caffeine in these types of drinks can be dangerous for dogs, especially if the animal ingests a lot of coffee or tea. If you add a large amount of cream to your coffee, the drink may seem especially appealing to your dog as well. Drinking a caffeinated beverage can trigger vomiting and heart palpitations.
Preventing Problems
The best way to ensure that your dog doesn’t suffer an illness from eating human food is to clean up any leftover food in any areas where the dog will be unsupervised. This is especially important after you’ve had a party at your home, where many of the foods listed above may be present. While it can be tiring to clean up this type of mess after a long party, you certainly don’t want to poison your dog accidentally.
And keep in mind that most dogs are smart, so thinking the dog won’t be able to reach the mess on the counter overnight is not a good solution. Even little dogs sometimes can be resourceful enough to figure out how to climb chairs to reach the counter, if they’re motivated enough by the food on it. If you know you’re going to have toxic food for dogs out in the house at a time when you cannot monitor your dog, it’s smartest to just crate the dog for its own safety.
