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Every pet owner has given their pet some scraps from the dinner table at least once in their life. Those eyes that just seem to glisten and grow big and round with fake tears can be so hard to ignore. Believe me, I know. But have any of you thought of what harmful effects your pet may endure from eating human food?
Chocolate
Whether you're a pet owner or not, most people know some of the common foods that are dangerous for pets to consume such as chocolate. But why is chocolate so bad? Chocolate, especially dark or baking chocolate, contains theobromine (a bitter alkaloid that is found in cacao seeds) that irregularly increases a pet's heart beat and may cause death. Chocolate is especially dangerous if consumed in large quantities.Grapes
Another dangerous food for your pet (specifically dog) to consume are grapes or raisins. The ingestion of grapes or raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. Although dogs might find it fun to roll grapes around the house and bite them to squeeze the juices out, it is imperative that dog owners keep grapes out of the reach of their pet.Human Medication
Medicine is not considered food, but it is also another substance that can harm animals. Many pet owners give their pets over the counter medication thinking that it will have the same effect on their pet as they do on themselves. "The most common cause of pet poisoning is animals ingesting a medicine or drug normally prescribed for humans" 'People Foods' That Can Kill Your Pet. In my experience, the worst case I have seen of an animal ingesting human medication was a cat that was given Percocet by it's owner and ended up dying at the hospital. Remember to never give your pet any type of medication unless instructed by a veterinarian to ensure your pet's safety.Some Good Foods For Your Pet
On the other hand, there are some foods that you can feed your pet without harming their health. Vegetables, plain bread, rice or pasta, and some types of fruit are all good options for feeding your pet instead of other harmful foods. Sometimes it can be hard to wean your pet off of human food if they have been eating it on a regular basis. My oldest dog, Buddy, is allergic to an unknown human food because since he eats so many foods, its hard to identify which one is causing him to have an allergic reaction. Sometimes he will go days without eating if I refrain from giving him any scraps, but eventually, he will sneak off and eat his bowl of dog food.It's heartbreaking to lose a pet over something that could have been prevented. But if you start now, you can help your pet in having a long and healthy life. For more information about foods that can be harmful and harmless to your pet, read this article 'People Foods" That Can Kill Your Pet by Sloan Barnett as wells as What Foods are Toxic For Dogs and People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
Works Cited:
Barnett, Sloan. 'People Foods' That Can Kill Your Pet.
9 May 2008. 29 January 2013 <http://www.today.com/id/2454454/site/todayshow/ns/today-today_pets_and_animals/t/people-foods-can-kill-your-pet/#.UQhBdNPjm98>.
Wow, I had no idea I could not feed these foods to my dog. I will now be very aware of what my dog tries to eat. Your post was easy to read and informative as well. Before I read this post I knew you could not feed chocolate to a dog, but I did not know why. Now I know and its unfortunate. The additional foods you mentioned, like raisins and grapes, I had no idea.
ReplyDeleteGreat post over all.
I keep learning of new foods every day that my dog should not have, especially when I'm in the waiting room at my pets' veterinarian. I wonder: could you link us to a few more good sites to peruse the list of bad foods? There are so many, and you did a great job touching on the most common, but I know that having a few different links (including the one you do have) would be an excellent resource for your readers.
ReplyDeleteDid you know I was once told to give my Corgi 25 mg of Benedryl when he got stung by a bee? I find it quite interesting that animals are now prescribed all sorts of medications, including what's called "doggie Prozac" (I've got a Napoleon on my hands who has fear aggression from when she was abused, and every time she sees another dog while walking, she gets all sorts of nuts). I can only imagine that the lists of medications for animals is expanding, thanks in part due to other animals (test subjects) and human usage.
What an interesting post. I knew that there were certain foods pets could and couldn't eat but I had no idea that dogs could not eat grapes. This post also came as somewhat as a relief to me as my girlfriend has two cats and they're almost constantly being fed human food, sometimes her dad even fork feeds his kitten, they have a "special" bond together. I'm also an aspiring vet so this was very helpful as I know very little right now.
ReplyDelete