7 Foods from Your Kitchen You Shouldn’t Feed Your Dog
Love sharing a bite of your favourite food with your dog? Especially when those cute puppy eyes are begging for only a morsel of the food you are having. After all what difference could a small bite make? Turns out, a lot. Dogs are built differently than humans, and their bodies are not aligned to take particular nutrients from the foods as we do. This can result in all sorts of health problems for your dog and in worse cases, it can even lead to poisoning. As a wise pet-owner it is always essential to know when to put the food down, and pay special attention to what you’re feeding your dog. Here are seven foods that you must not pass off as dog food.
1.Chocolate
Who doesn’t love chocolates? We are sure your dog loves them too. But the sweet delight can prove to be quite a risky affair for your dogs. Chocolate contains a component called ‘Theobromine’ which isn’t harmful for humans, but it’s often toxic for dogs. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate especially has it in huge amounts. It can cause a dog to vomit, have diarrhea, and trigger excessive thirst. In worst cases, it can also result in abnormal heart rhythms, seizures, tremors, or death among dogs.
Chocolates can be toxic for dogs
2.Salty Food
Keep your salty snacks, fries, pretzels, fritters and popcorn as away from your dog as you can. Salt can cause a condition called sodium ion poisoning, which can further lead to excessive thirst or urination. Eating salty foods may result in vomiting, diarrhea, high body temperature, and seizures, and bloating due to excessive water your dog would end up drinking satiate his thirst.
Fried food can cause a condition called sodium ion poisoning3. Fried and Fatty Meat
Is your dog fond of meat? Serve him his plateful but be cautious. High fat foods like bacon, ham, or meat trimmings can cause pancreatitis in dogs. And for its high salt content, they can also trigger an upset stomach. Make sure your meat is always cooked well. Never serve it raw or under cooked, that can lead to gastrointestinal diseases.
Bacon as dog food may not be that great an idea
4.Cheese, Milk and Other Dairy Products
Many dogs are lactose intolerant, i.e they lack the enzyme to break down milk sugar. Even slipping in a tiny piece of cheese or milk chocolate, could be risky. Dairy can cause dogs to vomit, have diarrhea, or develop gastrointestinal diseases. The high fat content can lead to pancreatitis. It can also trigger many food allergies, and itching.
Dairy products dont serve as a viable dog food option as dogs are mostly lactose intolerant
5.Avocado
Avocados are rich in vitamin C, A and contain the ‘good fats’ but is it as good for your dog? Maybe not. Avocadoes have something called persin – too much of which much might be poisonous for the dogs. Persin compound is found right from the leaves, seed, and bark, to the fruit of the avocado plant.
6.Onion and Garlic
Onions and garlic can damage your dog’s red blood cells, thereby paving way for anaemia. Eating a lot at once can also cause food-poisoning. Look for signs like weakness, vomiting, and breathing problems as initial signals.
Onions and garlic can damage your dog’s red blood cells
7.Grapes and Raisins
These vitamin rich fruits could do wonders for you, but it can be a potential cause of kidney failure in dogs. A small amount can make your dog sick with repeated bouts of vomiting and sluggishness.
Be a good dog-owner and take a cue of what is safe and unsafe to feed your beloved ball of fur.
[source=hindustantimes]
