We get it… it is always so tempting to sneak a couple bites size food to our dogs when they are staring at us under the dinner table.
Most of us already know common foods like chocolate and grapes contain toxic chemicals and are dangerous to dogs, but it turns out there are a lot of common foods that are either poisonous or indigestible for our furry friends.
Below are five surprisingly dangerous common foods we think you should avoid giving to our pets:
1. Coffee
Chocolate is dangerous to pets because it contains high amounts of chemical compounds called theobromine & caffeine, which are chemical compounds that result in the stimulation of the central nervous system and heart muscle.
For the same reason, coffee products that contain high amounts of caffeine should also be avoided to be fed to dogs. Seek veterinary attention immediately if your dog accidentally consumed caffeinated product.
2. Onion & Garlic
Onion and garlic belong to the allium plant family which are very commonly found in our cooking.
These ingredients are highly dangerous to our dogs because they contain certain compounds called organosulfides. Once consumed, organosulfides would damage the canine’s red blood cells, which decrease the flow of oxygen in the body.
When consumed in low amounts, your dog might be weak, sleepy and lethargic, but generally should not be a medical problem with enough rest.
However, in many cases, the damage of red blood cells would lead to anemia, a condition in which the red blood cells were damaged and not enough oxygens were transferred to the organs, and that might be fatal to the dog.
This is a very common food to pay attention to, especially if you feed your pet leftover food from your dinner table.
3. *Foods that are labeled sugar-free
For this, we start off with an asterisk (*) because it’s not necessarily “sugar-free” foods that are dangerous to dogs. In fact, they are always a healthy choice for pets.
When you are buying sugar-free food for your dogs, make sure you check the ingredient for a compound called Xylitol. You want to avoid them.
Xylitol is an artificial sugar-replacement sweetener compound that contains fewer calories than sugar. For human consumption, they do not trigger the release of insulin from our pancreas.
However, when dogs eat food that contains xylitol, the xylitol will enter the bloodstream and result in a quick release of insulin from the canine’s pancreas, which typically occur between 10 – 60 minutes.
This release of insulin would decrease the level of blood sugar, which creates a condition called hypoglycemia. The symptom of hypoglycemia includes tiredness, seizures, collapsing, and lethargy.
You might find a high amount of xylitol in diabetic-friendly products or baked food, such as peanut-butter, pie, cake, ice-cream and muffin.
Also, you would want to keep your toothpaste out of reach from your canine friends because these dental care products also contain high amount of xylitol.
4. Macadamia Nuts
While macadamia nuts are not commonly found in most Malaysians’ diet, it is still worth a mention here they are very dangerous to dogs.
Until now, it is still unknown why macadamia nuts are poisonous to dogs but there are numerous reports of dogs having medical issues after consuming small amounts of macadamia nuts.
Some of the symptoms you could look for in macadamia nut poisoning are vomiting, abdominal pain, fever,
increased blood pressure, increased heartbeat, and release of pale mucous membrane.
5. Yeast
If you enjoy baking at home, you might have 1-2 packets of yeast in your kitchen. These ingredients are also extremely dangerous for dogs if they get hold and eat them.
Once consumed, the yeast would expand in the stomach and potentially cause severe indigestion problems. It might cause bloating, vomiting, and limb weakness.
If you found out your pet accidentally consumed yeast, you must pay attention to its condition if the problem turns severe. It might be life-threatening if left unattended.
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