8 toxic and dangerous foods for dogs

Foods that are harmful to your dog.

• The holiday seasons are coming

• Always fun for humans and dogs: people, parties, dogs, and a lot of food.

• Really tempting to feed our dogs

• Your dog may be begging with those sorry eyes.

• But some of the food is very toxic and harmful to your dog. They will make your dog sick and even kill your dog if they overeat.

• Let's go over the list of food your dog can't eat.

#1 Chocolate

•  I am sure everyone knows this. But it doesn't hurt to emphasize.

• Chocolate is very harmful to your dog because it has a toxic component called "theobromine."

We, humans, easily digest and metabolize, but dogs can't process the element. The theobromine builds up in the dogs' system, and it makes your dog very sick. It is so lethal that one ounce of dark chocolate can poison a 40-pound dog. The initial reaction to the consumption of chocolate is severy hyperactivity. And eating a large amount can result in an irregular heartbeat, internal bleeding, tremors, seizures, or a heart attack. 

The risk of your dog getting sick depends on the weight of your dog and the amount of chocolate he ate. (Calculate the risk of toxicity with this program)  https://www.petmd.com/dog/chocolate-toxicity

Signs of chocolate poisoning will appear within 3-4 hours depends on dogs. It is essential to know how much your dog ate so you can gauge the toxicity. But if you have the slightest double, go to your vet immediately. I think the risk may be too much. 

#2 Chicken and Turkey Bones

When your dog is asking for table scraps, it is not easy to refuse. Chicken and Turkey are very tempting for your dog. Cooked meat is okay. But problems are bones, skins, seasonings(salt), and herbs (spices, onion, garlic). Poultry bones are very brittle when they are cooked. When bones break, they become very sharp fragments. Therefore, chicken and turkey bones will pierce many internal organs when dogs consume cooked poultry bones.  

• Mouth injuries

• choking

• Internal bleeding

• Intestine injuries

• rectal bleeding

You don't want to give your dog skins because of the high-fat content. High-fat is known to cause pancreatitis in dogs, and salts in seasonings may upset your dog's stomach. And onions and garlic are toxic. When you want to share your holiday dinner with your dog, make sure you only feed the meat portion of chicken and turkey. 

#3 Ham and Bacon

I mentioned earlier about high-fat content meat. They are known to cause severe diseases to your dog. There may not be immediate harm, but the long-term effects could be detrimental. Ham and Bacon are higher in fat than other types of meat. And ham has a lot of salt which can lead to whole different problems. Excessive consumption of salt can lead to kidney and heart damages. Remember, one ounce of ham may seem like nothing. But most dogs weigh a lot less than the human counterparts. So always keep these things in mind if you ever decide to give in.

#4 Xylitol

You probably saw xylitol in chewing gums. Xylitol is a natural substance found in fruits and trees. Its comparable sweetness to sugar with many other benefits made this substance very popular recently. You could see xylitol pretty much in everything from chewing gum, mints, all the way to over-the-counter nasal spray. The most important benefits are it has low calories, and it is lower on the glycemic index compared to sugar.

"But Xylitol is very very TOXIC to dogs." 

It is very lethal because even a small amount will cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), liver failure in dogs. One single piece of gum containing xylitol can result in fatal hypoglycemia. The amount of the substance could vary. It depends on the brand of gum, but make sure to identify how much your dog ate. Make sure to call your vet or Pet Poison Helpline (800-213-6680)

It is imperative to treat your dog before any symptoms show up. You will have a very good chance of reversing the problem. So don't hesitate when you detect the problem and act promptly. 

#5 Grapes and Raisins

These two are another food that is very harmful to your dog. We have not found out what causes toxicity, but the toxic reactions have been well documented. Grapes will cause kidney failures, but unfortunately, we still don't know the relationship between consumption quantity and toxicity. The agent that causes all these fatal results are still unknown. Grapes are simply poisons to dogs. All the reasons are still being studied.   

#6 Onions and Garlic

The small amount of garlic is unlikely to be harmful to dogs. But large and chronic amounts can result in some problems. Depending on the breeds, you could have a more sensitive dog to these vegetables. But the general rule is that the amount should not be more than 0.5% of the dog's body weight. For example, if your dog weighs 40lbs, that would equate to 3.2 ounces of onion or garlic. So, this one is not too bad. But just this in your head just in case. 

#7 Alcohol

Never. Sometimes, you may think one sip is not that harmful but never feed your dog alcohol. They just don't have the tolerance and system to digest alcohol. It is not just intoxication, but you are poisoning your dog when you give him alcohol. And not only that, alcoholic beverages could usually contain a large amount of sugar and some caffeine. 

#8 Avocado

Avocado is very trendy right now. But are they safe for dogs? Avocados contain persin that can cause some severe issues for your dog. We still don't know what amount of persin is lethal to dogs, but when consumed in a large amount, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. And the high-fat content could result in pancreatitis.