Poisons in the Household: Top 10 Things a Dog Shouldn’t Eat

Even the simplest of foods can be poison to pet dogs. There are so many foods that are safe and even healthy for humans, but are inedible or even very poisonous to our dogs. We’ve compiled the top 10 foods to help you figure it out.

Below we have categorized foods as harmful or toxic. As is often the case, some foods have ambiguous effects, so we’ve listed the hazardous quantities for your dog. Also, pay attention to factors such as size, age, weight and health that may affect your pet’s condition. If you suspect that your dog has eaten something suspicious and in a dangerous amount, you need to keep a close eye on him and contact your veterinarian right away.

Dangerous varieties of fruit

Avocados can be used in salads and guacamole. However, in addition to the healthy essential fatty acids, it contains persin, which is absolutely poisonous to dogs: it is not only found in the core of the fruit, but also in the peel and pulp. Poisoning is usually fatal as it causes heart muscle damage, respiratory failure and dropsy.

Different kinds of grapes and sultanas are bad for our four-legged friends. Excessive consumption usually leads to stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and other negative effects. Sultanas are even more dangerous because they contain higher concentrations of harmful substances. In the worst case, it leads to increased kidney function with subsequent kidney failure and hypercalcemia (excessive amounts of calcium in the blood). The exact “risk dose” is not yet known; it is assumed that about 10 g of fresh grapes per kg of dog body weight is harmful.

The pips of fruits such as cherries, apricots or plums are poisonous. They all contain cyanide, which can be fatal. Symptoms of pitting poisoning include increased salivation, vomiting, malaise and cramps. The following rule also applies here: too much is poison.

Harmful Vegetables

Onions and garlic, which people often use as additives in almost every dish, but they are very harmful to dogs. The toxins destroy red blood cells, which can lead to anemia in dogs and death.

You should not give broccoli. It contains a substance called isothiocyanate, which attacks and damages your dog’s digestive system. The dog’s body cannot cope with it. Keep in mind that this vegetable is only harmful when it makes up a tenth of the total food. Broccoli is very dangerous, you should not risk your dog’s health.

Three popular foods that are bad for pets

Everyone knows today that chocolate and cocoa are bad for dogs. Both contain theobromine, which cannot be broken down or is broken down slowly due to a lack of enzymes. Consequences of eating chocolate in dogs include increased blood pressure with constriction of blood vessels: the cause of death is often cardiac arrhythmia or cardiac arrest. The lethal dose is about 100 mg of theobromine per 1 kg of the dog’s body weight: so 60 g of milk chocolate or 8 g of dark chocolate (depending on the cocoa content) may already be too much. Never give it to dogs!

Meat is good for dogs: Of course! However, this does not apply to raw pork. It may contain the Aujeszky’s virus (pseudorabies, false rabies, infectious bulbar palsy, pruritic plague), which is absolutely fatal for dogs and cats. Therefore, you should first heat the meat to at least 80°C, this virus cannot survive at high temperatures.

Nuts are also not good for your dog’s body in large quantities because they have a very high phosphorus content. This puts a huge strain on the kidneys, so they should not be fed regularly, too often, or in large quantities. Macadamia nuts should be treated with particular caution: they are poisonous to dogs and should never be eaten by dogs.

Harmful

We should know that alcohol ceases to be beneficial for us when a certain amount is exceeded, in some cases it can even be fatal. The same is true for dogs. Even small amounts of alcohol can lead to vomiting, impaired coordination and, in the worst case, a coma. Dogs suffer the same symptoms as humans, but the dog’s body requires much smaller doses.

Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea and energy drinks, are also taboo for dogs. They contain methylxanthine, which raises blood pressure and increases heart rate while lowering the neurological threshold in the brain. Similar symptoms occur as when eating chocolate.

Poisons in the home are very common

The nicotine in tobacco is also harmful to your dog. Just 5 to 25 grams of dry tobacco is enough to kill your pet. Symptoms here are also rapid breathing and heartbeat, drooling and movement disorders. That is why you should make sure that your dog never drinks from puddles with cigarette butts in them.

Did your dog twist his ankle? If so, you would take a painkiller yourself to relieve the pain. So why not give your dog a pill? Under no circumstances should you self-medicate, because few substances that help people are also good for dogs. Poisoning from painkillers can occur quickly in a dog. Only a veterinarian should prescribe pain medication.