Though we all love our pets, and every responsible pet owner (to his or her best knowledge), tries to care and give their loved ones the best in every way – especially when choosing food and treats! But unfortunately, even the most well-intentioned pet owners can give certain foods not knowing that some of those foods could be extremely harmful and dangerous and even lead to death. So here is a list of 26 common foods that you NEED TO BE AWARE OF as they can seriously harm your furry loved ones and potentially cause them to live lives that are not the happiest and healthy lives they deserve!
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1. Chocolate
Almost everyone loves chocolates, but that’s not a good reason to give it to your pets. Chocolate products contain substances called methylxanthines which can cause vomiting (in small doses) and in some cases, even death if the doses are large enough. The level of toxicity depends on the type of chocolate and size of your pet, but as responsible animal owners, we must not take such risks and do our best to keep the chocolates away from them – so watch those kids!
2. Apricot Pits
Though Apricots are super healthy fruit for humans, they must be kept away from pets as cases of pets choking on the pit of apricot have been recorded to be harmful to animals as the shape and texture of the apricot pit can easily cause animals to choke, and could possibly result in death! (Your pet doesn’t know there’s a pit inside).
3. Alcohol
When it comes to Alcohol, even humans can’t handle it. So alcohol for pets is a BIG no-no! Alcohol for animals can induce vomiting, breathing problems, poisoning, coma, and even death. It takes a significantly less quantity of Alcohol to affect a dog or a cat, and even a seemingly innocent taste can do damage to your pet. And while we understand it might get a few laughs to get your dog to have a sip of beer, but cut it out! – you could be harming your best friend!
4. Avocado
For humans, it’s super healthy, but not for animals! Avocadoes have a substance called persin that can act as a poison to dogs which can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. It’s also best to avoid serving avocado up to other pets, including cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds.
5. Macadamia nuts
Feeding Macadamia nuts to pets can cause them to suffer from a series of symptoms including weakness, overheating, and vomiting. Macadamia nuts also contain a number of toxins harmful to animals that can affect various organs in their bodies. So avoid feeding your pet macadamia nuts and keep them out of reach of your pets!
6. Grapes and Raisins
Kidney failure can be caused by grapes and raisins in dogs – and even a small number of these tiny fruits may cause permanent and fatal problems in some cases. So be careful while eating grapes and raisins and make sure that you don’t drop any of them on the floor! Remember, even just one grape could prove harmful to your furry friend.
7. Xylitol
Xylitol? So what exactly is it you might ask? It is an artificial sweetener found in many products, including sugar-free gum and candy. It causes a rapid drop in blood sugar, resulting in weakness and seizures. In some cases, xylitol has been linked to liver failure so it is certainly best to avoid this substance when it comes to your pets!
8. Apple Seeds
Apple seeds seem so tiny and insignificant, but they contain a chemical that has proven to be deadly to animals – especially dogs. Apple seeds contain cyanide, even the smallest quantity of apple seeds can harm your pets when ingested. So if on the odd occasion (like with my Husky, Kova) your pet likes apples, make sure to take the pips out first!
9. Cherry Pits
Cherry pits can be dangerous to pets because (like apricot pits) they can get stuck in animal’s throats possibly causing damage to their oesophagus and stomachs – and can also cause harm to numerous other vital organs. So make sure you take care when disposing of your cherry pits, and don’t feed cherries to your pets!
10. Coffee
Again we all love it, but you must be aware that coffee (and most notably) coffee grounds, coffee beans, and chocolate-covered espresso beans, contain theobromine and caffeine. These two elements are extremely dangerous to pets, and when consumed can sometimes affect the heart fatally, which is definitely NOT what we want at all! Be very careful of coffee-flavored things like ice cream that might get scarfed down by a mischievous pet!
11. Garlic
Garlic causes damage to red blood cells when ingested by pets. Symptoms of pets who have consumed garlic may seem weak or reluctant to move, or they may appear to tire quickly even after gentle exercise. Also, their urine may be orange-tinged to dark red in color. In some severe cases, blood transfusions have been needed for animals who have overdosed on garlic – so if you think your pet has consumed a lot of garlic, you should call the vet’s office ASAP!
12. Chewing Gum
Sugar-free chewing gums contain Xylitol, a toxic chemical to pets. They also cause blockages in the esophagus or bowel, both of which can cause a lot of harm to your pet and can cause obesity, dental problems, and diabetes. There is absolutely no reason to give chewing gum to your pet!
13. Mushroom Plants
Wild-growing mushrooms are usually very common – even the backyard variety. They can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in your pet’s body. As a result, your pet may go into shock, or in worst cases, consuming mushrooms may prove fatal. So to be on the safe side you must make sure you remove and dispose of wild mushrooms growing in your backyard. Dogs are known to play with them and chew on them for fun – so be careful!
14. Onions and Onion Powder
Both onions and onion powder contain sulfoxides and disulfides and like with garlic, can cause damage to red blood cells and cause anemia. Always make sure that there are no pieces of onion present in the dish when giving your pet leftovers and make sure that the food does not contain any onion powder.
15. Rhubarb Leaves
Containing a substance called oxalate, rhubarb leaves can be very poisonous for dogs. Oxalate is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream if ingested and can cause severe problems with your pup so make sure you keep your pets away from the plant if you are growing it in the garden.
16. Salt
Too much salt can cause excessive thirst, urination, and lead to sodium ion poisoning in animals. Symptoms of too much salt include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, and seizures. The worst case is that it can even lead to death. Don’t feed your pets leftovers of very salty food!
17. Tea
Never let your pet drink your tea as it contains theobromine and caffeine, both of which can be toxic to animals and have a detrimental affect on the heart! Always be careful not to leave your cup of tea sitting unattended on a surface that is easy to reach by your pet – especially as pets love milk!
18. Walnuts
Walnuts are super healthy for humans, but do you know walnuts can cause a gastric intestinal upset – or even an obstruction in your dog’s digestive system? Walnuts also can contain tremorgenic mycotoxins (toxic chemical products produced by fungi) which can cause seizures or neurological symptoms in animals so avoid feeding your pets walnuts!
19. Yeast Dough
Yeast dough can expand and produce gas in the digestive system when consumed by small animals. It can cause pain and even possible rupture of the stomach and intestines. Make sure that you do not leave bread dough lying around on kitchen surfaces unattended if your animal can reach it!
20. Mouldy Foods
Moldy foods, commonly found in garbage, can cause serious harm to your pet. They can contain a significant amount of any number of toxins that can cause vomiting and diarrhoea and also affect the other organs so they are a big NO for pets!
21. Peach Pits
Peach pits (like apricot and cherry pits) can commonly become stuck in your pet’s throat. Pits can also stuck in the various other organs, including the stomach and the digestive tract. So don’t feed your pets peaches either!
22. Tomato Leaves and Stems
The leaves and stems of tomato plants contain a chemical that can cause numerous health problems to your pet. When stems, vines, and green fruits are ingested, tell-tail signs including gastrointestinal irritation, ataxia, and weakness can occur. One easy way to avoid this is that you can use mesh to keep your pets away from any tomato vines you have in your garden.
23. Mustard Seeds
Gastroenteritis is usually the result for a pet who eats a large amount of mustard seeds so always be careful when feeding your pet leftovers, as they may contain mustard or mustard seeds which can be very harmful to your pets’ digestive systems!
24. Beer Hops
Beer hops are very dangerous to animals if consumed. An unknown compound in beer hops can cause an increased heart rate, seizures, and possibly even death in some sever cases – so if you brew beer in your home, make sure your hops are locked up safely!
25. Chili
The same thing happens to a pet that eats chilies as happens to us – it can sting when it comes into contact with mucus membranes such as the eyes, nose, and anus. Very painful indeed!
26. And of course, Bones
Bones from fish, poultry, or other cooked meat sources can get stuck in pet’s throat and cause more problems in their digestive tracts. Always make sure that you only give your pet raw meat bones, and never fish bones! Better to buy bone-shaped rawhide treats from the pet store than to give your pets real bones so try to resist – EVEN when they look at you with those sad eyes that usually make you fold!
Are your pets eating things they shouldn’t be? Please share this important information!
