What Not To Feed Your Pet
If you own a cute pet (and we bet you do) the chances are that at times it’s hard to say no.
This challenge will often be two-fold when they’re begging for food—and often it’ll be human food they’re after.
So, there are heaps of things that our pets can’t eat. They’ll eat them all right, mostly to feed their curious natures, although certain foods can make them sick, and some very sick.
We’ve put together a useful guide for what your pets can and can’t eat. Some foods can poison your pets and others can even rupture their organs. If you’ve ever wondered what foods are dangerous, then you’ve come to the right place.
Avocado isn’t healthy for pets
While avocado is fantastic for the health conscious amongst us, it’s a big no-no for our four-legged companions.
Parts of the avocado contain an oil-soluble toxin called persin. Persin can cause big problems for larger animals such as horses and cattle, and can sometimes cause serious health issues for dogs and cats.
What you will notice, if your pet eats an avocado, they will most likely get an upset stomach, possibly leading to diarrhoea. The avocado’s pit, if consumed, can also be the cause of a gastrointestinal obstruction.
Read more: Can dogs eat avocado? Everything you need to know
Too much yeast can yield disaster
Yeast, found in raw bread dough can be very dangerous to your pet.
Yeast expanding in your pet’s stomach can cause a number of problems:
- Growing stomach may lose blood supply, killing the tissue
- Alcohols can be produced that may poison your pet
- Expansion of the stomach can cause breathing difficulties
- A rupturing of the stomach may occur in serious examples
If your pet ever gets stuck into your baking, it’s a good idea to get into contact with your vet as soon as possible.
Garlic is not just bad for the breath
Onions, garlic and other similar vegetables should never be eaten by your pets. This includes shallots.
While it is uncommon that a dog or cat will end up eating any serious amount of garlic or onions, in a concentrated form the damage can be quite serious. For example garlic paste, now common in supermarkets, is especially dangerous.
These vegetables can cause serious damage to your pet’s red blood cells, causing anaemia. You may not notice anything straight away, but after a few days your pet’s urine may turn a rusty red colour. If this happens, seek assistance right away.
Chocolate is not so sweet
Chocolate, we’re sure, won’t came as any surprise to you. It’s been a big no-no for years and the truth is that chocolate can kill your dog.
Chocolate contains a pretty powerful natural stimulant called theobromine (a derivative of methylxanthine) – something that can cause serious damage to a dog’s heart and nervous system.
In short, when it comes to our pets, chocolate is a toxin to dogs and should be avoided at all costs.
If your dog is small or medium-sized, eating any amount of chocolate could potentially cause harm. See the vet for help immediately.
Read more: Why Is Chocolate Bad For Dogs?
Grapes and raisins—delicious, but deadly
Grapes and raisins have been linked to sever kidney failure in some dogs and cats. Even though cases have been linked, the causes for such a reaction aren’t obvious to health professionals.
While some dogs and cats can happily eat grapes without the onset of any real negative health impacts, other pets have ended up with serious kidney and liver problems.
You’ll know if something’s wrong if you notice these symptoms:
If you notice any of these signs after your pet has eaten grapes or raisins, it’s important to see the vet.
Read more:Can dogs eat grapes? Everything you need to know
Keep them away from your morning brew
While it’s not something they’ll usually get stuck into, your pet shouldn’t be eating or drinking coffee in any form.
Coffee is toxic for pets in the same way that chocolate is. Not only is it toxic, but the high levels of caffeine in coffee will have a similar effect on your pet to that of humans. If your pet gets used to consuming coffee, stopping the habit can be quite difficult and they will likely experience withdrawals from the stimulant.
If you’re keen to take your dog out to dog-friendly cafés, there are a number that provide special coffee-free ‘puppuccino’ for your pooch.
Don’t let you pets go nuts for macadamias
Okay, so these things are delicious, we know, but not such a good idea for our pets. Just like grapes and raisins, vets aren’t quite sure why they’re toxic to dogs and cats, or why some pets won’t have a negative reaction.
Some symptoms of macadamia poisoning include:
If your pet isn’t feeling well after eating macadamia nuts, it’s best not to risk it—see a vet straight away and get your pet checked out.
Alcohol can really kill your pet’s buzz
This is a no-brainer for the most of us—alcohol is a pretty serious drug and can cause big health problems in humans, let alone our pets.
Our dogs and cats will become intoxicated much faster and after consuming far less alcohol than humans. Alcohol poisoning is a serious concern if your pet has drunk alcohol, even if you believe it to be not a great amount.
Xylitol isn’t the sweetest meal for pets
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener used in sugar-free chewing gum, as well as a number of sugar-free baked products.
It won’t affect the blood sugar levels of humans, however when it comes to dogs, ingestion of xylitol can lead to a rapid and severe drop in blood sugar levels.
Some dogs that eat large amounts of xylitol can develop liver failure. Others may become quickly disorientated and have a seizure. If your dog has eaten confectionary that contains xylitol, an emergency visit to the vet is necessary.
More pet nutrition resources
- Good and bad human foods – What to feed and what to not feed your dog
- Why Is Chocolate Bad For Dogs?
- Emergency dog food: Safe foods for dogs to eat
- Emergency cat food: The human foods cats can eat
- Puppy Diet, Food & Schedule
“Can dogs eat…?” series
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