Several human foods are extremely dangerous to dogs. In fact, many of these same products can even be fatal. This is why it is so important to make sure that you know what you can and cannot feed your dog. You need to make sure that you know how to take care of them properly (for more help on this you can easily visit a site like petvblog.com). I know my dogs love sitting around when anyone is eating so they can hopefully catch some stray crumbs. But, under no circumstances are my dogs allowed to have human food. That being said, never feed the following foods to your pup.

We have three dogs, and it can sometimes be difficult to make sure they don’t eat human food, especially because we have so many tiny hands and fingers that drop things frequently and that think they are helpful when giving the dogs some “snacks!”

We’ve had to make it pretty clear, dogs don’t eat human food and them, for the most part, have been great about it. Just like humans, dogs can also have an allergy to any type of food so it is vital that you are feeding them the right stuff in the first place. These following foods, we limit in our household, and make sure never get near our dogs!

Chocolate
Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound similar to the caffeine found in tea. In dogs, this compound is metabolized at an alarmingly slow rate, which can result in theobromine poisoning.

For bigger breeds, as little as one king-sized bar of chocolate can be life threatening. For smaller dogs, the “danger zone” amount is much less. If the dog in question goes untreated, it can lead to dehydration or heart and digestive issues. The worst case scenario is seizures or death.

Dairy
Dogs don’t have very high levels of lactase, an enzyme that helps to break down the lactose that’s found in milk. Because of this, they typically have trouble digesting milk and other dairy products. Don’t give your dog milk or cheese, if you want to avoid dealing with doggie diarrhea or other digestive issues.

Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts contain an unknown toxin that is highly lethal to dogs. Symptoms of canine macadamia poisoning include vomiting, weakness, and loss of balance. Take your dog to the vet immediately, if they ingest these particular nuts.

Onions
Both onions and garlic contain sulfoxides and disulfides. These things can cause damage to a dog’s red blood cells as well as cause stomach pain and anemia. An occasional (small) bite of onion generally won’t cause problems.

However, eating a significant amount of onion, even in one sitting, can lead to this serious health concerns. If this happens, monitor your pup for signs of vomiting, respiratory problems, or weakness. Go to the vet, as necessary.

Salty Foods
Just like humans, dogs tend to get thirsty after they eat salt. This can lead to drinking more, hence more trips to the bathroom. Also, if a dog eats too much salt, it can lead to a condition known as sodium ion poisoning. Symptoms to watch out for are vomiting, tremors, diarrhea, high temperature, and seizures. In extreme cases, eating too much salt can even lead to death.

Remember, no matter how cute your dog is when he begs, never feed him these foods. Honestly, your furbaby is much better off eating a healthy brand of dog food. His digestive system will thank you for it!

Foods to Consider For Your Dog!

We are a large Purina household. Our dogs and our cats eat Purina, and we’ve seen a difference in energy, and personalities in our pets since we made the switch to the only purina over a year ago!

For Dogs – To Consider:

Consider PurinaOne: PurinaOne the highly-regarded pet nutrition experts carefully formulate products that can have a positive impact on your dog. Whether its bright eyes, a gorgeous coat, or even an empty bowl that means your dog is enjoying every single bite. Purina One emphasizes REAL meat, fish or poultry as the #1 ingredient. Giving pets the nutrition they need and crave.

For Cats – To Consider:

Consider Purina Pro Plan Prime: At around age 7, a cat’s body begins to change. While those changes may not always be noticeable, they can affect different aspects of a cat’s overall health, including the immune system, digestive system, skin condition, lean muscle body mass or body weight. In turn, these changes can have an impact on longevity and quality of life. Here is a link to more information about a 9-year study to understand the impact diet has on cats age 7 and older.

Pro Plan Prime Plus is a proprietary blend of cat food proven to improve and extend the life of cats age 7+.

See if Prime Plus is right for your cat by going to www.tryproplan.ca/myplan. Using My Plan, you can see what Pro Plan product is good for your cats, and can receive a $5 print at home coupon.

Disclosure: I am part of the Purina Pet People Ambassador Program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.