13 Dangerous food that your pet should avoid!

13 Dangerous food that your pet should avoid!
It may be fun to give your pets' food that you love and enjoy, but unfortunately, it could be dangerous for them! You don't know what you might be feeding your pet dangerous food they should avoid. Some of these foods might surprise you. You must become an informed pet owner to keep your pets alive and healthy. Animals have a different way of breaking down food than us humans. This means that whatever we, humans, eat can have different effects on our pets' metabolism. Be an informed pet owner and stop feeding pets without knowing how it could affect them. We did our research and gathered the information from several sources for your pet's well-being!

Your pet should avoid this dangerous food:

Alcohol

[caption id="attachment_8015" align="aligncenter" width="600"]Beer in a pint suntory Photo by Awu Wang on Unsplash[/caption] Alcohol is the ingredient found in beers and wine that causes intoxication. According to a study by C. Kuhn, et al. Alcohol is classed as a ‘sedative hypnotic’ drug. This means when taken in higher doses, it acts to depress the central nervous system. And it can lead to drowsiness, respiratory depression, coma or even death. That's for us human beings, now imagine your pets ingesting alcohol! They get the same effects but it can hit them twice as hard. Never let your pets drink beverages with alcohol and definitely not as a joke.

Avocado

You might think it's okay to give them a tiny bite of your avocado toast cause avocado is a fruit, right? No, it is not okay! A compound found in avocados called persin can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and heart congestion in pets. Aside from that, be careful in pitting your avocados as a pet may ingest it and they could choke on it.

Bones

Bone in front of sad looking dog. Surprised? Yes, bones can be harmful to your pets. It's a choking hazard to your dogs. And if they ever swallow pieces of a bone, it could cause an intestinal obstruction especially cooked bones (they splinter easily). Also, there have cases that damaged their teeth due to excessive chewing. Sometimes, it can get lodged in their jaw or throat. If you want to give them bones as a treat, do keep an eye on them. But as much as possible avoid them.

Caffeine

When we want to stay alert and awake for the day we use caffeine to boost our energy! In pets, caffeine is extremely dangerous. It will speed the heart rate and stimulate the nervous system. This could result in vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, increased urination, tremors, seizures and death.

Candies, Chewing Gum, Toothpaste & Mouthwash

All these common treats and personal care items, contain Xylitol. A sugar alcohol that is extremely toxic to dogs. It can cause low blood sugar, seizures, liver failure, and death. Even in small amounts! So be very careful if you have these thing lying around or if they are within their reach.

Chocolate

[caption id="attachment_8009" align="aligncenter" width="600"]Stack of chocolates Photo by amirali mirhashemian on Unsplash[/caption] Theobromine is a compound found in cocoa, the number one ingredient in you fave treat--chocolates. Humans can break down and excrete this compound well. However, our pets are far more sensitive to it. It can be toxic in some mammals, including pets (Smit, 2011). Although every type of chocolate varies as well as their ingredient. You can check if a bar of certain chocolate is safe for your dog through PetMD's Dog Chocolate Toxicity Meter.

Citrus

Any product of citrus plants can be dangerous to your pet--stems, leaves, peels, fruit and seeds. Citric acid can irritate a pet's skin and if ingested significant amounts can cause central nervous system depression. Don't worry small doses won't affect your pet, could only result in a minor upset stomach.

Garlic

Garlic, when ingested in significant amounts, is dangerous to your pet as it destroys red blood cells and can cause anaemia. When ingested observe your pet. Signs may include, but not limited to, weakness, vomiting and troubles breathing. 

Grapes & Raisins

It is believed that a substance, although unknown, found in grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure. To be safe, it is best to avoid feeding your pet grapes and raisins.

Human Vitamins

Pills in hand Human vitamins usually comprise 100% of the advised daily quantity of various minerals and when taken by pets could cause a mineral overdose. Prenatal vitamins are dangerous to your pet as it contains a higher dose of iron and can result in iron toxicity in pets. In case of accidental ingestion contact or go to your vet immediately.

Macadamia Nuts

Keep your dogs away from Macadamia nuts as it is lethal to them. Symptoms include muscle shakes, vomiting, increased temperature and weak back legs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion.

Onions & Chives

Like garlic, these herbs cause gastrointestinal irritation to pets, especially in cats. Worst-case scenario, pets can get hemolytic anaemia, which requires a hospital trip.

Yeast Dough

[caption id="attachment_8011" align="aligncenter" width="600"]Person mixing dough Photo by Salomé Watel on Unsplash[/caption] Yeast is a single-celled fungus used in baking and fermentation. Like in bread, yeast also expands and rise in your pet's tummy. It is dangerous as it ferments and makes alcohol that will lead to alcohol poisoning. Mild cases cause gas and discomfort.

Keep Your Dog On A Healthy Diet

Owning a pet is a big responsibility. You can't just feed it anything edible you must be careful in giving them food. As much as possible do your research before owning one. If you are worried that you may have given your pet any food that is mentioned above, please call your vet immediately. Resist the urge to give in whenever your pet looks at you with those puppy doe eyes and brushes up against you while you have food that is dangerous for them! Remember that you are not depriving your pet of anything, instead, you are saving them from possible harm! Pat yourself on the back because if you are reading this article, that means you are taking the first step in becoming an informed pet owner! You can also do further research on dangerous food your pet should avoid if you are uncertain. Let us know if we missed a couple of details and leave them in the comment section. Happy Pawrenting!

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