What Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pets?

What Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pets? – Thanks for reading this article. We want to ensure your dog lives a healthy long life. Tuscawilla Animal Hospital which proudly serves Winter Springs, Casselberry, Oviedo, and the great Seminole County Florida area wants to share a simple way to help your pet avoid possibly dying from eating inappropriate types of food.

What Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pets? – Tuskwilla Animal Hospital in Winter Springs Florida

Alcohol is a food you should never give your pet.

Alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma, and even death.

One time, we heard about a group of young people drinking and they thought it would be funny to get the family dog drunk. It caused the dog a sizable amount of vet bills to get treated correctly. Getting a pet drunk is not funny or silly, it is animal abuse because that dog trusted its owners to keep it safe from all known and unknown harm. A dog has blind trust in the family unit and therefore that needs to be communicated to every family member accordingly.

Under no circumstances should your pet be given any alcohol. If you suspect that your pet has ingested alcohol, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately.

Avocado is a food you should never give your pet

Avocado is primarily a problem for birds, rabbits, donkeys, horses, and ruminants including sheep and goats. The biggest concern is cardiovascular damage and death in birds and rabbits. Horses, donkeys, and ruminants frequently get swollen, edematous head and neck.

Chocolate, Coffee, and Caffeine are foods you should never give your pet

These products all contain substances called methylxanthines, which are found in cacao seeds, the fruit of the plant used to make coffee, and in the nuts of an extract used in some sodas. When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures, and even death.

Growing up, we had a family dog that enjoyed stealing treats off the coffee table. My mom noticed that the chocolate mints were missing and she asked everyone if they were eating them. We found out later the dog was eating them and began vomiting all over the house. Needlessly to say, we took our family dog to the animal hospital and my mom found out chocolate can kill small dogs. The treats never were placed on coffee tables after that day.

Note that darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest.

Citrus – What Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pets?

The stems, leaves, peels, fruit, and seeds of citrus plants contain varying amounts of citric acid, essential oils that can cause irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression if ingested in significant amounts. Small doses, such as eating the fruit, are not likely to present problems beyond minor stomach upset.

Coconut and Coconut Oil are foods you should never give your pet

When ingested in small amounts, coconut, and coconut-based products are not likely to cause serious harm to your pet. The flesh and milk of fresh coconuts do contain oils that may cause stomach upset, loose stools, or diarrhea. Because of this, we encourage you to use caution when offering your pets these foods. Coconut water is high in potassium and should not be given to your pet.

Grapes and Raisins is a food you should never give your pet

Although the toxic substance within grapes and raisins is unknown, these fruits can cause kidney failure. Until more information is known about the toxic substance, it is best to avoid feeding grapes and raisins to dogs. Even if your furry friend is giving you cute sad eyes that are hoping for a snack, give your pet a dog bone instead.

Macadamia Nuts are a food you should never give your pet

Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors, and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and can last approximately 24 to 48 hours. If your pet got into a macadamia can of nuts, call us to schedule an appointment as soon as possible!

Milk and Dairy are foods you should never give your pet

Because pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk), milk and other dairy-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset.

Nuts – What Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pets?

Nuts, including almonds, pecans, and walnuts, contain high amounts of oils and fats. The fats can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and potentially pancreatitis in pets.

Onions, Garlic, and Chives are foods you should never give your pet

These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage and anemia. Although cats are more susceptible, dogs are also at risk if a large enough amount is consumed. Make certain to clean up around the kitchen area quickly after cleaning because house cats can jump up on the counter and lick the countertop.

Raw/Undercooked Meat, Eggs and Bones – What Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pets?

Raw meat and raw eggs can contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that can be harmful to pets and humans. Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which can lead to skin and coat problems.

Feeding your pet raw bones may seem like a natural and healthy option that might occur if your pet lived in the wild. However, this can be very dangerous for a domestic pet, who might choke on bones, or sustain a grave injury should the bone splinter and become lodged in or puncture your pet’s digestive tract. We recommend throwing bones in the trash immediately and don’t let a begging pet get the better of you. It could cost your pet it’s life.

Salt and Salty Snack Foods are foods you should never give your pet

Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets. Signs that your pet may have eaten too many salty foods include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures, and even death. As such, we encourage you to avoid feeding salt-heavy snacks like potato chips, pretzels, and salted popcorn to your pets.

We found out that the dog was eating from trash bins and enjoying potato chips. It got very sick and had terrible diarrhea which we treated and gave the dog an IV. Bigger dogs are capable of putting their heads in trash bins for that reason we recommend getting closed trash lid bins for your pet’s protection. Furthermore, if you find your dog is always looking for food in places it should not be in call us it could be a diet issue and we can help you figure it out.

Xylitol – What Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pets?

Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods, and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. The increase in insulin leads to hypoglycemia (lowered sugar levels). Initial signs of toxicosis include vomiting, lethargy, and loss of coordination. Signs can progress to seizures. Elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days.

Yeast Dough is a food you should never give your pet

Yeast dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate in your pet’s digestive system. This can be painful and can cause the stomach to bloat, and potentially twist, becoming a life-threatening emergency. The yeast produces ethanol as a by-product and a dog ingesting raw bread dough can become drunk – just like alcohol can do as well.

Thanks for reading this blog article on what foods can be fatal to your dog or cat, this blog article was prepared by the Tuscawilla Animal Hospital. | What Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pets?

The Tuscawilla Animal Hospital wrote this article to help you better understand ‘What Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pets?’. If you still have questions, feel free to call us and ask our caring staff members who are caring for your pet. Follow us on Facebook now! Remember we love caring for your pet no matter what stage of life he or she is in. Again, thanks for reading this blog article.