What Foods You Shouldn’t Give to Your Dog and Why?

A pet dog receives overwhelming love and affection within the household. This love for the animal can sometimes translate into feeding the dog with what the family eats. The logic behind this is that if you find the food delicious, your dog should be allowed to enjoy it as well, as a member of the family. This is ignorance at its worst. 

The internals of a dog work quite differently to that of human beings and their digestive system is extremely sensitive. The worst part of this habit is that the effect some of these foods can have on the dogs can be very serious. The dogs may turn sick very rapidly and can even die due to the harmful effects of the foods. Which are these and why should they be avoided being fed to dogs?

• No Chocolates/Beverages for Dogs: If you are enjoying chocolate or your kid is eating one and wants to share with your pet dog, please don’t do it. The dog’s internal system finds it toxic and the toxicity levels can vary with the quantity consumed. The same is true for coffee or other caffeine-rich items. The health consequences for the dogs if you feed them these kinds of stuff can be very serious. They can have seizures and even face death. The harm is caused by theobromine present in chocolates, particularly in dark chocolates. As such all types of chocolates are taboo for the canines.

• All Dairy Products: Milk, ice cream, or any other dairy product should not be fed to dogs. They can cause diarrhea in them. Dogs are allergic to dairy products. Even if you are tempted to share your ice cream, resist the temptation. 

• Fat trimmings: You may think dogs like meat or fish and serve them with cooked or uncooked meat and fat trimmings. Please don’t do it. Some people feed the dog with bones. This is even more dangerous. These are beliefs born from myths or false information. These foods can harm dogs. Bones can choke the animal’s throat leading to serious health complications. The raw meat can cause pancreatitis. 

• Onion and Garlic: Don’t feed your dog onions or garlic. These can be toxic to their system. The symptoms of discomfort in the dog may not show up immediately after consuming onions or garlic. After a few days, however, your dog may show signs of being weak and lethargic and the condition can result in gastroenteritis and more. 

• Artificial Sweeteners like Xylitol: There are many sugar-free items available like gum or candy. There can be baked products too made with artificial sweeteners like Xylitol. This is a lethal compound as far as dogs are concerned. It damages the animal’s liver and leads to a rapid drop in its blood sugar levels. Some dogs may have seizures after taking any of these Xylitol-based products. Avoid them completely. 

The other foods that you should avoid feeding your dog include grapes and raisins, Macadamia nuts, fruits like peaches and plums, avocado, alcohol, raw bread dough, and so on. Each of these items can cause mild to serious health issues for your pet dog. 

Stick to the dog food specially formulated for them and sold in pet stores or departmental stores. Consult the vet when you take your dog for the checkups. If the vet recommends anything beyond the regular feed, you can try them.