16 Food Dangers for Doggies

 These are my two dogs, Duncan (top) and Casey (bottom). They have brought incredible joy into my life! I knew that chocolate was harmful for them...but I was unaware that many other foods could be harmful also. When they use their charms to request samples of what we are eating at the table, I'm likely to relent. But I could have easily given them some of the foods on this list. So I'm going to pass the information on to you.

1. Avocado contains a substance called persin, a highly toxic substance for dogs and other animals. It can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Person can be found in the leaves, seeds, and bark of the avocado.
2. Alcohol has the same effects on dogs as humans, however smaller amounts can be harmful.
3. Onions can destroy dog's red blood cells causing anemia. It can also make them vomit, lethargic, and restless and have diarrhea.
4. Coffee, Tea, and Caffeine can be fatal to dogs in large quantities. Symptoms include restlessness, heart palpitations, muscle tremors, fits, and bleeding.
5. Grapes and Raisins can cause kidney failure and small quantities can make dogs lethargic, depressed, or hyperactive.
6. Milk and other Dairy Products can give dogs digestive upsets.
7. Nuts and food with nuts can be fatal. As few as 6 raw or cooked Macadamia Nuts can be fatal. Nuts can cause muscle tremors, rapid heartbeat, weakness, paralysis, and fever.
8. Candy, gum, toothpaste, baked goods and diet foods baked with Xylitol can cause extreme imbalance in blood sugar level and can cause vomiting, lethargy, loss of coordination, and liver failure.
9. Chocolate contains a toxic substance called theobromine that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, thirst, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures, and even death.
10. Fat trimmings and bones can cause pancreatitis.
11. Persimmon seeds can cause inflammation of the small intestines resulting in obstruction.
12. Peach and plum pits can cause cyanide poisoning.
13. Raw meat and fish can cause food poisoning. Also, fish sometimes contain a parasite that can kill a dog within two weeks.
14. Salt in high quantities can cause excessive thirst and urination that could lead to sodium ion poisoning.
15. Raw eggs contain an enzyme that interferes with absorption of a B-vitamin and can also contain salmonella and E. coli.
16. Yeast dough swells in a dog's belly and causes pain. Also when fermentation occurs alcohol is produced that can cause alcohol poisoning.

There is an ASPCA animal poison control center that you can reach at 888-426-4435 if you suspect your dog has eaten anything dangerous.