We are all looking forward to our Christmas and end of year family dinners! However, these come with their fair share of food (people food) that your dog will probably want to taste, but be mindful they cannot eat everything!!
We’ve recapped for you the most toxic and dangerous foods that your dog cannot get a hold of :
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Chocolate & Caffeine
As much as they’d want to, please do not share chocolate with your dog. Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine, which can cause kidney failure. Dark chocolate contains the most, but still, no reason to give white chocolate to your dog!
Watch out for symptoms such as diarrhea, tremors and seizures. Ingested in high quantities, chocolate can cause death in smaller dogs.
The same goes for coffee and anything that contains caffeine!
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Candies
Most of them contain an artificial sweetener called Xylitol that releases insulin in our bodies. Dogs do not handle this sweetener as it may cause hypoglycemia which in return, can cause liver failure and blood clotting disorders.
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Chicken bones
Especially the cooked ones, will lead to gut perforation which is the last thing you want for Christmas!
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Yeast
And uncooked dough will rise in your dog’s stomach and cause bloating, which can eventually lead to twist.
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Chestnuts
Chestnuts can cause bloating, diarrheas and also lead to intestinal blockage.
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Rhubarb
Rhubarb contains oxalic acid which can cause kidney failure in dogs. Watch out for these symptoms in case your dog has had a taste of your famous rhubarb pie: drooling, vomiting, tremors, bloody urine.
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Grapes and raisins
Although we’re not quite sure why these are toxic for dogs, they have caused liver damage and kidney failure in the past, so better not to try.
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Avocado
High doses of avocado are lethal to many animals, not only to dogs, due to a toxin called persin.
Small doses will however lead to vomiting and diarrhea, it’s therefore not recommended!
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Macadamia nuts
Definitely a no go, ingesting macadamia nuts can cause your dog serious nervous damage, including and not limited to: weakness, swollen limbs, panting, depression, tremors, hyperthermia, lethargy.
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Garlic, Onion and chives
The onion family can cause gastrointestinal irritation, anemia and red blood cell damage, whether dry, raw or cooked!
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Alcohol
Alcohol will certainly have the same impact it has on humans, but worse.
Depending on the quantity, alcohol can cause central nervous system damage, difficulties breathing, blood acidity and can even lead to coma.
Overall it’ best for them to stick with water!
It is understandable that pet lovers want to share their food with their favorite pets, but we must always keep in mind that they just cannot eat everything we do and that for their overall health, we should always limit the amount of people food they are given – no matter how much they beg you!
If your dog has ingested a toxic food, please call your vet immediately.
Watch this space for more updates on the Pets Ark!
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