5 Surprising Foods That Are Poisonous To Dogs
I want to thank Mr. Henry and his mom for making me aware of some very important information.
There are five surprising foods that can be harmful to dogs that many people don’t know about.
Mr. Henry wanted to make sure all his Dogster pals stay healthy, his mom has a blog and posted this great advice.
There are several natural and seemingly healthy human foods are also harmful-even toxic-to dogs. So before you head to the kitchen to whip up fresh batch of canine casserole, read on to discover five surprising foods that are toxic to dogs.
Garlic & Onion: Though treated as a health food and often taken in supplement form by humans, garlic (along with its alliaceae cousins onions and leeks) is toxic-sometimes deadly-for pets, with reactions ranging from stomach damage to acute dermatitis to asthmatic attacks. Pets By Nature reports the story of a Pennsylvania woman who lost her Newfoundland to garlic poisoning: “Within two weeks of feeding a popular garlic supplement available at most pet stores and over the Internet, her Newfoundland developed a bleeding ulcer and perforated intestine.” The dog did not survive.
Grapes & Raisins: While not as toxic as members of the onion family, consumption of grapes and raisins can cause vomiting, dehydration and, in large quantities, kidney failure. The exact toxin present in grapes is not known, but scientists have established that both commercially and privately cultivated grapes, as well as raisins, present a risk.
Avocado: According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), avocado leaves, fruit, seeds and bark contain a toxic substance called Persin, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal unpleasantness in dogs. While a medium-sized dog would have to consume a substantial quantity of avocado (picture a big bowl of guacamole) to become seriously ill, even a little bit is enough to cause an upset tummy.
Macadamia Nuts: Not widely consumed outside of Hawaii, macadamia nuts pose a stealth risk to canine health. The nuts can cause macadamia nut toxicosis, resulting in soreness, stiffness, and listlessness, according to Working Dog Magazine. The condition usually passes in 48 hours, but can lead to shock in severe cases.
Nutmeg: This popular spice, commonly used to season cakes, vegetables and even lasagna, should never be found on your dog’s dinner plate. Nutmeg, which has mild hallucinogenic properties, can cause seizures, tremors, central nervous system problems in dogs. In severe cases, shock and death have been reported.
Looking for Fido friendly snacks? Grab your leash and run on over to read about some healthy foods that can be added to your dog’s diet.
* The picture above is Tank, he knows the importance of healthy snacks.
I was familiar with most of these however, I did not know about garlic, the fleas this year were horrendous and I put heaping spoonfuls of garlic powder and brewers yeast on my dogs dry food. No one got sick. Does anyone know if maybe it is just fresh garlic? I’m very surprised about this.
I gave my dog at least 10 grapes just last night. It was the first time I had ever given him grapes and he just loved them. He is just fine today. No ill side effects.
These effect different dogs different ways. Some can kill instantly, especially if it is a small dog and a large amount. And like humans, some dogs can simply handle toxins better than others.
Unfortunately, it can do damage over time, especially to the liver and kidneys and you may not know until it is too late. It may take months or it may take years to kill, but I wouldn’t risk it just because you don’t see the ill effects now.
My dog has been eating garlic for years. Small amounts are good for dogs, overconsumption is bad – gee, just like a lot of food of all sorts!
I also live in an area with many avocado groves, and have known generations of dogs that have lived among those trees, eating ripe fallen fruit with no ill effects beyond a few extra pounds in high season (and beautful shiny coats!).
While dogs can be healthy without ever eating any of these foods, I’m sick of people fearmongering irresponsibly!
Actually, I am a vet tech and have seen the damage these foods can do. I don’t think it is fearmongering to make sure people are aware. Like Coffee said, it doesn’t effect all dogs the same. I think it’s good to be aware of the possible problems.
I read an article that said that avocados are actually good for your dog if you give them in moderation. Just be certain to only give them the fleshy part and not the skin or the pit. The skin and the pit are usually what cause them stomach problems.
chocolate! duh!
And chocolate and ice cream! Actually my dog loves raisins, omg, how can I keep her stay away from that?
You forgot one very obvious thing…Chocolate!!
I have been adding Garlic to my dogs food for a couple months. How toxic is garlic?
I knew about onions but not garlic!!!
Should I throw away the whole batch of food I just cooked?
This article does not make me “fear” anything. Dogs are individuals, just like people. There are enough reported cases, research and information to find some pretty bad (or worse) reactions to these items. Why would anyone take the risk, no matter how small, if they love their animals. Having “always” done something, is no reason not to change future habits.
Thanks for responsible reporting!
I had a germen shep who lived til the age of 16 she was abig old girl and she was only put to sleep because she just got to that stage where she was in pain with her legs and back. What i want to know is that if chocolate is so dangerous to all dogs why was it Bonnie mangaed to eat a whole box of chocs that where accidently left on the table, also we gave her choc when we had it. she had no ill effects and the vet couldnt beileve her good condtion except what she went in for obviously. My dogs are 4 and 10 months and have the occasional choc but we dont leave it laying around. Also the elder one loves the occasional grapes. Please note i say occasional, i believe that everything in modaration is ok, otherwise how would strays servive so long.
I’ve always heard that grapes (and therefore, raisins) are bad for dogs. They say they do damage to the kidney &/or liver that is irreversible and acutally accumulates. So, although your dog isn’t showing immediate “symptoms” it doesn’t get processed in their bodies, continues to build over time and can prove to be very dangerous. I agree with the earlier comment, about not taking ANY risk if possible.
This was very helpful Information….I learned something today
-Thanks Dogster
Wow I did not know that Grapes are bad for them I gave my dogs grapes before and nothing has happened and does the same go for guinea pigs because ive given my guinea pig some grapes so if you know for sure if its bad for guinea pigs then please tell me because she just loves them.
i had a dog for 15 years she just died last year… we gave her grapes her whole life but we had to but her to sleep cuz she had tumors all inside … we think its cause of the grapes but we will never know…
this is perposterous. we have given garlic pills and brewers yeast tablets to our dogs to control fleas and ticks my whole life. and it works. my mother is a breeder and has always used this method. we have never had any sick dogs. and grapes.. are you kidding me. my dogs love grapes. and the vet says its just fine. modertion is the key. who in theor right mind would let their dog or their kid overindulge in anything, and guinea pigs love grapes oranges and any fruit . it is recomended for them
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this information. I had NO idea grapes and garlic were so detrimental to a dogs health. Doggy kisses from Sissy’s Mom.
xoxoxoxo
My dad had a grove dog who loved avocados. She ate the skin, meat and pit and would use her behind to shake them off the tree. My dogs, who used to stay in the grove there, picked up the taste and go crazy for avocado when I buy it. I’m sure not all dogs can toleratre it but mine haven’t been affected.
Also my larger one eats grapes, garlic and onion (I feed them beef stew occassionally). Amazing she’s healthy as can be.
I had 2 lovely German Sheppard mix sisters! we lived in a village in Bodrum Turkey, few years ago during one of out walks up in the hills Nice the larger of the 2 started acting weird after drinking some water from a pool of rainwater I suddenly knew she got poisoned, had a friend living close by got her attention and asked her to bring out some crushed fresh garlic and yogurt by the time I got her to her house down the hill she had it ready and my dog was in seizures and foaming at the mnouth; we forced the garlic and the yogurt in her mouth and she swallowed most of it, and another friend got his car over and we rushed to the vet which was 20 mins away, after a great deal of antidotes the vet was able to stabilize her situation and he said if it wasnt for the garlic and yogurt she would have been dead! So I really dont care what anybody says about garlic it saved my dogs life! And yes it is also great for ticks and fleas!
I used to give my dogs sauce from stews and casseroles that had garlic in. Then I saw on a website that puting garlic thru the crusher and leaving it in oil (I use olive oil) can give health benefits and repel fleas, without actually ingesting the garlic. I now every other day put a dessert spoon of the oil that has had garlic soaking in it on their food and mix it in. My daughter thinks it might still be poisonous, but I have seen in shops garlic oil for sale, I presume this is oil that garlic has soaked in and not actual pressed garlic as such. Love to hear peoples thoughts on this.
I worked at a vet clinic. Grapes ARE toxic, garlic is bad…chocolate is bad. Grapes cause kidney damage-done over time if grapes are only given in small amts. But why would you risk that???Milk chocolate is just not as toxic as dark. Just because your dog didn’t die immediately, or show outward signs of distress, doesn’t mean that its OK to give foods that are toxic. (to the person feeding grapes and your vet says its fine-well, I would ck w/another vet. It is definitely not fine.) Learn from the research, so we can keep our dogs healthy for years to come.
My chihuahua ate one grape on Monday, and now, on Sunday, she is lying here, dying, taking her last breath as I am looking for answers online. Grapes are toxic, and if they are not to your dog, I feel bad that you had the chance to even find out. Never feed grapes to your loved pet, it’s not worth wanting to see if it kills them or not. Bambi is like my child, she goes everywhere with me. She sleeps with my husband and I every night, until she became ill. Now, she only wants to be alone. It’s sad and a shame. I’m losing my baby because I loved her enough to give her a grape.