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Human Food That’s Bad for Dogs
It’s hard to resist a wagging tail and a pair of big, brown, begging eyes. And while certain human foods are palatable for dogs, it’s important to know which are not – because unfortunately, the bad ones can severely harm and even kill your dog. The following list of bad foods and their dangers may seem dire, but if you familiarize yourself with these harmful human foods, you’ll be better equipped to keep your dog healthy and happy.
Enemy #1: poultry bones. Bones and dogs go hand-in-hand, so it can be easy to forget that only the bones from hoofed animals are right for dogs. Poultry bones – everything from chicken thighs to turkey drumsticks – splinter and can puncture your dog’s gastrointestinal tract. These bones are dangerous to dogs of all sizes, and the decline and death that results can take several days. Instead of giving your dog bones from the table, buy specially marked dog bones at the store.
Enemy #2: chocolate. The general rule of thumb with chocolate is that the darker it is, the more dangerous it is. You also need to take into account the size of your dog and the amount of chocolate eaten. A small dog who eats a bar of baking chocolate (very dark chocolate) may be in serious trouble – call your veterinarian immediately in this case. On the other hand, if your 100-pound dog eats one small milk-chocolate candy, it will probably be fine.
Chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical that’s toxic to dogs. Combined with chocolate’s caffeine, which speeds up the heart rate, this human delicacy can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, seizures, and coma. Also, because dogs process chocolate more slowly than humans, your pup may seem fine after eating the bar, but could still become very ill over the course of the next twenty-four hours. Cocoa powder is also very dangerous. Milk chocolate and white chocolate, which contain less cacao, are less dangerous.
Enemy #3: onions. For you, onions are foods that spice up nearly any dish, but for your dog, they’re deadly. Onion poisoning develops symptoms slowly. It can be caused by one large dose of onions or a small amount eaten steadily over the course of several days. All onions are dangerous -- fresh onions, dried onions, cooked onions, and even onions on pizza.
Onions (and garlic, to a lesser extent) contain a toxin that causes haemolytic anaemia, in which the dog’s red blood cells burst while they’re circulating through its body. Initial symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea, followed by lethargy, dark urine, and trouble breathing. The full affect of the poisoning won’t be felt until a few days after the dog consumes the onions. Again, both the size of the dog and the amount of onion eaten are important factors.
Enemy #4: fatty foods. A neighbor hosted a wedding at his home recently and was puzzled to find that his dog was weak and restless afterward. The veterinarian diagnosed pancreatitis caused by wedding guests giving the dog fatty treats. This dog had to spend a night in the animal hospital, receiving fluids to help her inflamed pancreas. Pancreatitis – and its sister condition gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the stomach – can be caused by fatty foods of all types, whether they come from the table or from a garbage can. Both often require hospitalization.
Enemy #5: macadamia nuts. We think of them as tasty Hawaiian treats, but these nuts contain a toxic substance that causes paralysis, tremors, swollen limbs, and horrible joint pain.
Other dangerous human foods:
Raisins and grapes – can cause severe diarrhea and acute kidney failure.
Bread Dough (with yeast) – the yeast continues to “rise” or expand within the dog’s belly. This can be fatal in both dogs and cats.
Moldy Food – this can cause an array of nasty reactions including seizures, coma, and death. Even in very small amounts, it easily causes diarrhea, which isn’t pleasant for anyone.
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Preventing Frostbite – Keeping Pets Safe
Nothing beats a day in the snow with your dog. Watching that bounding ball of joy hop through the snow banks puts all the fun back into winter. But how do you know when the cold is too cold? Frostbite and hypothermia are nothing to sneeze at – in pets or humans – so it’s important to know the warning signs and be prepared.
The most important thing you can do to protect your dog or cat is to know your pet. Pay attention to your dog. Watch your cat when she’s out in the winter to see if she shivers and when – on days you would call cool? Cold? Freezing? Or maybe just shady? Knowing how your pet, with its distinctive coat, manages the cold, will help you be better able to prevent frostbite and hypothermia.
Dog and cat coats are like the coats we wear in many ways. They both trap body heat close to the skin. Since the air we breathe is usually so much cooler than our 98.6-degree body temperature, this layer of extra-warm air right next to the body is critical to keeping our internal heat up. This is why dressing in layers is so important, and it also explains why thick, breathable garments like sweaters work so well.
When a dog or cat starts to get cold, its hairs stand up, almost “on end.” In the same way that we get goose-bumps on our skin, dog and cat skin reacts by stiffening the hairs to thicken the coat.
If the animal’s core temperature continues to fall, it will start shivering involuntarily, just like we do when we’re cold. Our bodies shiver by reflex in an attempt to heat us up and raise that core temperature. If an animal keeps getting colder still, even after it starts to shiver, the body could restrict blood flow to the extremities (ear tips, face, tail, feet, etc.) in an effort to keep warm blood in the core organs. When this happens, frostbite – tissues that freeze and then die – can occur. Many animals with frostbite also suffer from hypothermia.
Any pet that’s outdoors in bitterly cold or sub-zero temperatures could develop hypothermia, a condition that can lead to shock, loss of consciousness, and even death. Symptoms include unresponsiveness, a blue tinge to the skin, and ice or snow on the extremities.
To prevent these conditions, it’s important again to know your pet. Is your dog a big, hairy beast that can loll in the snow for hours without one sign of discomfort? Or do you have a small, short-haired dog that shivers on a cloudy day? A temperature-sensitive dog would surely appreciate a coat or parka and maybe even foot-gear in the height of winter, to ward off shivers. Dogs with thick coats are often able to play in the snow and ice without ever suffering from the cold. As we’ve seen, the key is to watch for shivering, the first sign that the animal’s body temperature is too low and that it needs to be taken inside or warmed up right away.
If you think your pet has frostbite or hypothermia, call a veterinarian right away. In the case of frostbite, do not rub snow on your pet. Instead, get your pet inside right away. Once inside, get a bowl of warm water to soak the affected paw or ear in. Wrap your dog in a blanket and try to keep it warm and calm – it can be painful as the skin warms up. Avoid rubbing or touching the frost-bitten area.
The reaction to hypothermia is essentially the same – keep your pet as warm and dry as possible and call your veterinarian. In addition to wrapping the dog in blankets, you might heat a massage bag or a ziplock full of raw rice in the microwave, wrap it in a towel, and place it next to your pet. Be careful not to put anything too warm on a dog or cat’s skin – in their exhausted state, they might not react and could end up with burns.
Once you have these heating devices in place, get your pet to a veterinarian. Since it’s also important not to overheat an animal, it’s vital that you see a professional who has the tools to monitor your pet’s temperature.
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Keep Your Pet Cool and Comfortable
The dog days of summer are upon us! This is the month when summer celebrates its glory, bringing us warm, lazy days. If you're traveling with your pet this summer, it's important that you take a few key steps to keep your dog or cat comfortable, even when the mercury rises.
Dogs and cats overheat more easily than people do. Where we have sweat glands to cool ourselves, dogs and cats only sweat from their noses and foot pads. And since the rest of their bodies are covered in fur, heat can be a real problem. Puppies, older pets, and short-nosed breeds (pugs, bulldogs, boxers, and Persian cats) are especially susceptible to heat-related stress.
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Read more... [Help your Pets Beat The Heat]
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First Aid and Safety
