What you eat may be harmful for your dog

(An article adapted from the United Kennel Club web site)

We all love our dogs and want to share everything with them…home and hearth. However, sharing our food can be harmful and/or fatal to our dogs.

Did you know…

Avocados (fruit, pit and plant) are toxic to dogs. They contain a toxic component called persin, which can damage heart, lung and other tissue in many animals. They are high in fat and can trigger upset stomach, vomiting and even pancreatitis. Symptoms of toxicity include difficulty breathing, abdominal enlargement and abnormal fluid accumulations in the chest, abdomen and sac around the heart. The amount that needs to be ingested to cause signs is unknown.

Onions or chives (raw, powdered, dehydrated or cooked) destroy red blood cells and can cause anemia, weakness and breathing difficulty. Even small amounts can cause cumulative damage over time. Large amounts of garlic cause the same problems. Garlic contains only a small amount of the problematic substance in onions.

Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill him. If the dog doesn't eat enough at one time to be fatal, he can be severely damaged by eating just a few grapes or raisins regularly.

Tomatoes (plant and fruit) contain tomatine, an alkaloid related to solanine. As the fruit ripens, the tomatine is metabolized. Therefore, ripe tomatoes are less likely to be problematic for animals. Clinical signs of poisoning include lethargy, drooling, difficulty breathing, colic, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation among some of the symptoms.

Nutmeg can cause tremors, seizures and death.

Caffeine (from coffee, coffee grounds, tea or tea bags) stimulates the central nervous and cardiac systems and can cause vomiting, restlessness, heart palpitations and possibly death.

Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, muscle tremor and paralysis. These symptoms are usually temporary.

Chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death. Baker’s chocolate is the most dangerous. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. But any chocolate, in large enough amounts, can kill a dog. An ounce of chocolate can poison a 30-pound dog, and many dogs will happily consume more than this.

Apple seeds, cherry pits, peach pits, pear pips, plums pits and apricot pits contain cyanide, which is poisonous. While a few apple seeds may not cause a problem, the effects can accumulate over time if they are given to dogs regularly. Dogs should not be allowed to chew on these pits for fear of further ingestion of cyanide or choking.

Too much salt and fat can result in the dog drinking too much water, increasing the probability of developing bloat. Bloat is a life-threatening condition where the stomach fills up with gas and within several hours may twist and cause death.

Raw liver or too much cooked liver (three servings a week) can lead to Vitamin A toxicity. This can cause deformed bones, excessive bone growth on the elbows and spine, weight loss and anorexia. Check the label of your canned dog food to be sure it does not contain any if you are also giving your dog liver.

Raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin, which can deplete your dog of biotin, one of the B vitamins. Biotin is essential to your dog’s growth and coat health. Raw egg yolks could contain salmonella, so you should get your eggs from a reliable source or cook the eggs.

Grains should not be given in large amounts or make up a large part of a dog’s diet, but rice is generally safe in small amounts.

Dairy products are high in fat, which can cause pancreatitis, gas and diarrhea. A small amount of non-fat, plain yogurt is usually safe.