Which human foods are the MOST poisonous to dogs?
It’s hard to resist the longing stare of a begging dog, and most of us can’t resist slipping our dog some people food a little now and then. If you’re going to do it, at least make sure what you’re slipping Fido in the palm of your hand isn’t going to hurt him. In this episode of Cone of Shame, we focus on 3 of the most dangerous people foods for your pet.
1.) Chocolate
Chocolate is confusing. We’ve all seen dogs get into chocolate but be totally fine. Here’s the thing- there are two ingredients in chocolate that are particularly dangerous: caffeine and theobromine.
Ingesting caffeine and/or theobromine can cause vomiting, seizures, and muscle tremors. In some cases, it can be fatal.
Why do some dogs seem okay after eating chocolate?
- Some dogs are more sensitive than others. Chocolate toxicity is heavily dose dependent and smaller dogs are at higher risk.
- Not all chocolate is created equal- the darker the chocolate, the more of the toxic components it contains.
[tweetthis]Semisweet chocolate is particularly bad for #dogs, & baking chocolate is the worst![/tweetthis]
What should you do if your dog eats chocolate?
Contact your veterinarian immediately. If it has been less than 2 hours since your dog ingested chocolate, making them vomit might be the solution. Beyond that, your dog will likely need to be hospitalized for supportive care.
2.) Xylitol
This ingredient is popular in human foods and products, but you might not know what the heck it is! Xylitol is a natural, sugar-free sweetener that can be found in chewing gum, peanut butter, cake mix, toothpaste, and hidden in all sorts of other items common in your purse and around the house.
What’s scary about xylitol is tiny amounts can be very, very toxic to dogs.
[tweetthis]A 20lb dog that eats 1 gram of xylitol will have life-threatening low blood sugar 10-15 min later![/tweetthis]
After low blood sugar, dogs may experience death of the liver or liver failure. This stuff is terrifying! If you see signs of xylitol ingestion, get your dog to the vet immediately.
3.) Grapes and Raisins
Pet’s kidneys can be seriously damaged by grapes and raisins, and we don’t know why. It doesn’t seem to matter which type of grape is ingested, nor if they’re organic or not.
How many grapes or raisins does it take to cause toxicity in dogs?
We’re actually not quite sure, as reactions seem to vary widely between individual pets.
What are the signs of grape or raisin poisoning in dogs?
Signs are often non-specific. The first thing pet owners usually see is pieces of grapes or raisins in their dog’s vomit. Signs of severe kidney disease don’t show up until 1-3 days after grapes or raisins were eaten. At this point, damage to the kidneys has already been done.
[tweetthis]If #pets ingest grapes or raisins, don’t wait to call your veterinarian! [/tweetthis]
When it comes to grapes and raisins, dog owners often regret not doing more when they had the chance. Just like with chocolate, if we can get the dog to vomit within the first 2 hours, we might be able to do some real good. Beyond that, supportive care at the veterinary hospital will be necessary.
