10 Things Your Dog Should Never Eat

August 28, 2008 | 8 Comments

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