10 Things Your Dog Should Never Eat

August 28, 2008

Photo by Laertes
Dogs will eat just about anything they can get their teeth onto.

They are scavengers. And they have such a keen sense of smell that they can sniff out anything.  Therefore, it is very important for us, the owners of these sweet canines, to keep out of their reach foods and household items which they are attracted to, yet which are also dangerous to their health.  Afterall, we do want to keep them around as long as possible.

10 Things Which Can Be Harmful To Our Loyal Companions.

  1. Chocolate. Like most humans, dogs too are crazy about chocolate.  But while health advisers give humans a good excuse to eat dark chocolate … it is high in antioxidants … unfortunately for man’s best friend it is potentially lethal.  Chocolate contains various chemicals (called methylxanthine alkaloids) and these chemicals can cause an increased heart rate and/or constriction of the arteries when consumed by a dog in even a small amount.  Consuming large amounts could possibly kill a dog.  If your dog consumes chocolate, contact your vet or an emergency animal hospital immediately.  If treatment does not occur within 4 to 6 hours, the result could be cardiac arrest, seizures, coma, or death.
  2. Anti-freeze. For some odd reason, dogs love to eat this too.  And they’ve got the teeth to open the container.  It should be kept in a tightly closed cabinet as it can damage your dog’s kidney.
  3. Coffee. Again, this is something more harmful to dogs than to humans, and it is just as dangerous as chocolate.  It can lead to heart rate increase, seizures, diarrhea, coma, and even death.
  4. Mistletoe and other poisonous plants. Simply put, mistletoe can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, and depression. Many plants are poisonous and the results from eating them can be anything from a mild stomach ache to death.
  5. Wild mushrooms. Some mushrooms can cause liver and kidney damage, abdominal pain, and anemia.
  6. Acetaminophen. When a dog is in pain, we may be tempted to give it something for relief.  But only two extra-strength acetaminophen tablets in a 24-hour period can kill a small pet.  The pain reliever can lead to anorexia, vomiting, depression, and vomiting.  High doses can be fatal.
  7. Onions. Onions can cause liver damage, anemia, and diarrhea.
  8. Moth balls. The primary chemical in moth balls, naphthalene, is extremely toxic to dogs and can result in tremors and seizures.
  9. Apple and cherry trees. The fruit won’t hurt them, but the leaves and roots might.
  10. Baby pacifiers. I just had to add this one from experience.  When my toy poodle was a puppy, he bit off and swallowed the tip of a baby pacifier.  It swelled and blocked him up.  He could not pass it through and it had to be surgically removed.

What strange thing has your dog eaten?

Update: Cocoa mulch should be included in this list.  Because it smells like chocolate, dogs are attracted to it.  It contains caffeine and theobromine, which is the same ingredient used to make chocolate and which is very toxic to dogs.

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Posted by Julie Alexander | Filed Under Blog, Nutrition, Pet Health 

Comments

8 Responses to “10 Things Your Dog Should Never Eat”

  1. o.d. on August 28th, 2008 7:49 am

    Although I dont have a dog (yet), Interesting and informative list… the onion is a surprise though

  2. cathy on August 28th, 2008 8:02 am

    Another one is grapes or raisins. Snopes even says it’s true! http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/raisins.asp

  3. Julie Alexander on August 28th, 2008 9:32 am

    Thanks, O.D.

    When I first heard about onions, I was surprised too. Past research also told me the same thing about garlic. But other reports were saying garlic was actually good for dogs. So I didn’t include garlic in my list.

    To Cathy,

    Thanks for that added bit of good-to-know info! Those two should definitely be added to the list.

  4. o.d. on August 28th, 2008 9:49 am

    just read Cathy’s link, this one is also a surprise and apparently for many pet owners too… grapes can cause renal failure, but they’re not sure why yet…

    Just read about Onion toxicity… there’s a chemical called thiosulphate that dogs have no way to digest which causes the blood to clump, causing all sorts of problems, a very serious condition for the dog.

    Garlic also has this chemical too, but in lesser quantities that onion…

    all very fascinating and good to know! :)

  5. Julie on August 28th, 2008 7:19 pm

    O.D.,

    Thanks for doing that research. Garlic is anti-bacterial and anti-viral plus it provides other benefits, but it is from the onion family. While one doctor will recommend it, another will not.

    Another item I overlooked in my list is cocoa mulch. It smells like chocolate and therefore dogs are attracted to it. It contains theobromine which is the same ingredient used to make chocolate and which is toxic to dogs.

  6. Jody on August 28th, 2008 10:23 pm

    I have had several (very expensive) experiences with chocolate and with grapes that my pug got into. Apparently, he has a very strong constitution for such a little guy, and he is fine, but we rushed him to the vet each time…

    Thanks for the information about onions - I didn’t know that. We cook a lot, and he’s always there to “clean up” whatever might fall to the floor - including onions. I’ll be more careful in the future. Does that include the entire onion family (scallions, leeks, shallots, etc)?

  7. Daily Blissings on September 14th, 2008 9:39 am

    What about chicken bones? Or is that an urban myth?

  8. Viviana on September 15th, 2008 10:45 pm

    I have two dogs and appreciate the information you have provided. Than goodness I limit my dogs diet to “only dog food,” no people food.

    Viv

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