When it comes to our beloved pets, we want to make sure they are safe and healthy. But did you know that some of the foods we eat can be toxic to our furry friends? It's true! Many of the foods we enjoy can be dangerous for our pets, and it's important to know which ones to avoid. Well, to help you, we've put together a list of the 10 most toxic foods you should never give your pet. Most people know that chocolate is bad for dogs.
The problem with chocolate is theobromine. It is in all types of chocolate, even white chocolate. The most dangerous types are dark chocolate and sugar-free baking chocolate. Chocolate can cause a dog to vomit and have diarrhea.
It can also cause heart problems, tremors, seizures, and death. Alcoholic 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 alcohol be given to your pet. If you suspect that your pet has ingested alcohol, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Toxicology Center immediately. Avocado is primarily a problem for birds, rabbits, donkeys, horses and ruminants, including sheep and goats.
The biggest concern is cardiovascular damage and death in birds and rabbits. Horses, donkeys, and ruminants often have swelling and edema in the head and neck. All of these products contain substances called methylxanthines, which are found in cacao beans, the fruit of the plant used to make coffee, and in nuts from an extract used in some soft drinks. When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, wheezing, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rate, tremors, seizures, and even death. Keep in mind that darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate.
White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest. The stems, leaves, peels, fruits and seeds of citrus fruits contain varying amounts of citric acid, essential oils that can cause irritation and possibly even depression of the central nervous system if ingested in significant amounts. Small doses are unlikely to cause problems other than a mild stomach upset. When ingested in small amounts, coconut and coconut-based products are not likely to cause serious harm to your pet. The meat and milk of fresh coconuts contain oils that can cause an upset stomach, loose stools or diarrhea. Coconut water is high in potassium and should not be given to your pet. Yeast dough can rise and cause gas to build up in your pet's digestive system.
Yeast produces ethanol as a by-product and a dog that eats raw bread dough can get drunk (see alcohol).The darker and less sweet the chocolate is the more toxic it will be to your dog. Sugar-free bakery chocolate and cocoa powder are among the most dangerous varieties (2).No one knows what ingredient or compound in grapes and raisins makes them so poisonous to dogs but they are among the most serious food threats. Between 2 and 4 hours after consuming caffeine dogs may experience restlessness excessive thirst lack of bladder control vomiting and diarrhea. Macadamia nuts can cause weakness depression vomiting tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. The best way to avoid food poisoning in dogs is to feed them only dog food and keep human food out of reach of humans. Because dogs have a different metabolism than people feeding dogs human food can be very dangerous to their health and can even be fatal in some cases. If you know that your dog has ingested something toxic see your veterinarian immediately or call the pet toxicology hotline.
