Foods That Are Harmful or Toxic to Dogs

As any responsible pet owner knows, keeping our dogs safe and healthy is an important part of our duties. Along with seeing to it that all of their basic needs are taken care of, such as having fresh food and water each and every day, a warm dry place to sleep, and plenty of love and affection, special care should be taken to see to it that a dog doesn't have access to any harmful or toxic substances, including ordinary foods and organic dog treats that are perfectly safe, and delicious, for humans.

Many pet owners have resorted to feeding their dogs a diet of homemade foods in their metal elevated dog feeders rather than commercial kibble or canned food and especially in light of the numerous pet food recalls that have frightened dog and cat owners for a few years now. Because of this it's imperative for pet owners to learn what foods are safe and beneficial and which ones can cause serious damage, even death.

Here's a handy list of foods and common substances that are either harmful or toxic to dogs:

- Alcohol

- Avocados

- Baby food (may contain onion powder)

- Bones (can cause lacerations or obstructions)

- Caffeine

- Cat food (too high in protein and fat)

- Chives

- Chocolate

- Coffee

- Fat trimmings

- Garlic

- Grapes

- Hops (found in beer)

- Liver (large amounts cause vitamin A toxicity)

- Macadamia nuts

- Milk

- Mushrooms

- Onions

- Persimmons

- Pits from ANY fruit

- Potato leaves, stems

- Raisins

- Raw eggs

- Raw fish

- Raw or undercooked meat

- Rhubarb leaves

- Salty foods

- Sugary foods

- Tomato leaves, stems

- Xylitol (an artificial sweetener)

- Yeast dough

The artificial sweetener Xylitol is often in foods labeled as "sugar free" and can also be found in bubble gums and breath mints as well as baked goods, candy, and even some brands of toothpaste. While perfectly safe for us humans, Xylitol is deadly to a dog as it causes an excess in insulin leading to eventual liver failure.

Signs of Xylitol poisoning to watch for include lethargy, loss of muscle coordination, seizures, and vomiting.

Anytime you think your pet may have ingested something harmful to their health, whether it's a food or cleaning product or some other substance, contact your veterinarian immediately and or your local poison control center who can offer helpful advice just as soon as possible.

You may also be rather surprised to see milk on the list, as dairy products such as cheese are often given to dogs without problem, other than causing weight gain when given in excess, of course. But dairy products like milk contain lactose, a type of sugar, and dogs, as well as cats, do not produce enough of the enzyme called lactase needed to break down those sugars.

Similar to a human being who is lactose intolerant, milk based dairy products can cause digestive upset, diarrhea, and vomiting most especially in young puppies or dogs.