Feeding your pet table scraps might feel like you are making them part of your family, but it could be doing more harm than good. Many common foods can cause pet toxicity or contribute to health issues like obesity, arthritis, feline diabetes, and kidney issues that could lead to costly long-term health problems for your pet. Before you give into those puppy dog eyes and hand over scraps, check this list to make sure you’re not treating your pet with human foods that are potentially toxic:
1. Grapes and raisins
These foods seem innocent enough, especially if you want to feed your pet healthier foods. Unfortunately, both grapes and raisins contain some type of component that makes pets sick. A single grape may be all it takes to cause health issues in smaller pets. The symptoms of a toxic reaction are similar to what you see with other foods, and grapes are especially well-known for causing kidney failure.
2. Raw eggs and raw meat and bones
Pet owners sometimes come across information from people who push a raw food diet for dogs. While dogs and cats do have some natural defenses against illness, they are still susceptible to food-borne illnesses. Salmonella and other forms of bacteria can make dogs sick if they aren’t cooked out of their food. Bones can also be a serious choking hazard, and they can get stuck in your pet’s digestive system as well.
3. Chocolate
Chocolate is a leading cause of pet toxicity, and there tends to be an uptick of vet visits during seasonal holidays when pets are more likely to get ahold of candy. This common candy contains a component called theobromine that dogs aren’t able to metabolize effectively. Larger dogs might only experience some nausea and vomiting if they eat a small amount of candy. However, smaller pets along with ones that manage to eat a whole lot are at risk for experiencing seizures, irregular heart rates and internal bleeding that places their life in jeopardy.
4. Caffeine
Caffeine might be found in cocoa-flavored candy, which doubles the risk of food reactions. However, your pet might also accidentally lap up your coffee, or they could come across caffeinated pills in you or someone else’s home. The toxic effects of this substance can show up anywhere from a half hour after ingestion to 12 hours later. Usually, you’ll notice your pet experiencing panting, heavy breathing and other signs of discomfort. You’ll also want to suspect a toxic reaction if they somehow manage to drink an energy beverage or other sources of the chemical.
5. Onions and garlic
Both of these foods have components called sulfur-containing oxides that are known for being toxic to pets. Although cats tend to be the most sensitive, dogs can also get sick from eating these foods. A pet that eats onions or garlic may show signs of oxygen deprivation, such as extreme lethargy or confusion. Since these foods are commonly included in trace amounts in many recipes, you’ll want to use caution before feeding your dog any food of unknown origin.
Ideally, anyone who spends time with your pet should know which foods to avoid giving them. You’ll also want to stay alert for signs of a reaction anytime you feed your pet a new food. If your pet does eat potentially toxic food, then you’ll want to reach out to your vet. Any pets that display troublesome symptoms of a toxic reaction such as wheezing, panting, drooling, hives/rash, vomiting or seizures will need emergency vet care to provide them with the best chance for a full recovery.
