Toxic Dog Food

We hear about a lot of foods that we should not feed our dogs but sometimes it’s hard to get an understanding of why? Here is a list of foods that can be dangerous to your dogs and why:

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts are unlikely to be fatal in dogs, it can cause very uncomfortable symptoms that may persist for up to 48 hours. Affected dogs develop weakness in their rear legs, appear to be in pain, may have tremors and may develop a low grade fever. Fortunately, these signs will gradually subside over 48 hours, but dogs experiencing more than mild symptoms can benefit from veterinary care. The mechanism of toxicity is not known. Dogs need to ingest more than 2g of nuts per kilogram of their body weight before signs are shown.

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Chocolate

Many of us have heard not to let dogs eat chocolate, but why? Chocolate contains a caffeine-like substance called theobromine. Dogs metabolize theobromine more slowly and can get sick and die from eating too much chocolate. How much is too much? It depends on the type of chocolate, so if your dog has ingested chocolate it is best to contact your vet immediately so they can advise you on the next step to take.  This affects a dog's nervous system and can result in vomiting, diarrhoea, irregular heartbeat, tremors, seizures, and even death.

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Fruit Seeds and Stones

The pits in stone fruits can obstruct your dog's bowels. They also contain small amounts of cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs (and humans).

Apple Seeds - The casing of apple seeds are toxic to a dog as they contain a natural chemical (amygdalin) that releases cyanide when digested. If a large amount was eaten and the seeds are chewed up by the dog, this can cause the chemical to enter its blood stream. To play it safe, be sure to core and de-seed apples before you feed them to your dog.

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Cooked Bones

When it comes to bones, the danger is that cooked bones can easily splinter when chewed by your dog. Raw (uncooked) bones, however, are appropriate and good for both your dog’s nutrition and teeth.

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Corn on the Cob

This is a sure way to get your dog’s intestine blocked. The corn is digested, but the cob gets lodged in the small intestine, and if it’s not removed surgically, can prove fatal to your dog. Additionally, too much corn kernels can upset the digestive tract as well so be cautious to not feed too much.

Mushrooms

Just as the wrong mushroom can be fatal to humans, the same applies to dogs.

Grapes and Raisins

Grapes and raisins have been found recently to induce kidney failure in some animals. This failure can be permanent and life threatening. It does not seem to relate to the volume ingested, and not all animals seem to be equally susceptible. Although some dogs have been eating grapes for years, the safe course is to avoid grapes and raisins completely.

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Onions

Onions are tasty for our pets as well as us, but too many onions can be dangerous. High levels of onion ingestion in dogs and cats can cause life-threatening anaemia.

The levels of thiosulfate found in onions means that even small amounts can hurt and quickly kill your dog, cat and other pets. Onions also contain allyl propyl disulphide, which causes permanent damage to red blood cells, causing anaemia and oxygen deprivation. Animals that eat onions can suffer from liver damage, discoloured urine, difficulty breathing, dermatitis and anaemia.

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