Toxic food for dogs

There are many healthy human foods you can give your dogs such as carrots, spinach and broccoli. However, there are a few surprising and highly poisonous foods your dog should never eat. Familiarise yourself with this list of toxic food to keep your dog safe. Additionally, if you have a habit of letting your dog eat leftovers make sure they do not contain any of the foods on this list. 

If you suspect your dog has eaten something that is causing a toxic, allergic or harmful reaction you must contact your veterinarian immediately.

Grapes and raisins

Grapes and raisins should never be fed to your dog, even in small quantities. There are toxic substances in grapes that can cause kidney failure in your dog. If your dog has eaten grapes and/or raisins, signs of kidney damage in your dog will include:

• Lethargy
• Lack of appetite
• Sharp pain in the stomach area
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
• Increased water intake and urinating (early stages)
• Reduced urination and water intake (late stages)

Avocado

The fruit, stone and skin can potentially be harmful to your dog. This is due to a fungicidal toxin called persin, which can cause serious illness and sometimes death in dogs. Dogs can tolerate a small amount of avocado but it is hard to say how much. We, therefore, recommend that you keep this fruit away from your four-legged friend.

Onion and garlic

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, garlic and other members of the allium family contain thiosulfate, which is toxic to dogs. Thiosulfate causes oxidative damage to red blood cells, resulting in hemolytic anaemia.

There are, however, veterinarians and holistic practitioners that recommend garlic if you feed the correct dosage of organic raw garlic. This is due to garlic’s antifungal, antibiotic and antimicrobial properties. We do not recommend you feed your dog any form of allium without consulting with a veterinarian or holistic practitioner. Signs of anaemia include:

• Pale gums
• Lethargy
• Increased heart rate

Macadamia nuts and other nuts

Dogs can eat some unsalted nuts such as peanuts, almonds, and cashews. However, certain nuts like macadamia and walnuts are not suitable for your dog to eat and can even be toxic. Macadamia is known to be the most toxic nut for your dog and should, therefore, be avoided at all costs. Certain nuts are also prone to contain fungus so even if it isn’t directly toxic, the fungus can have negative effects on your dog. Signs of nut poisoning in dogs will appear within 12 hours of eating the nut and include:

• Vomiting
• Shaking
• Joint pain
• Pale gums

Xylitol

Xylitol is a sweetener found in many sugar-free foods such as chewing gum, toothpaste, mouth wash, some kinds of peanut butter, and some baked goods. The sweetener is very toxic for dogs as it causes a sudden spike in insulin and a reduction in blood sugar leading to hypoglycemia. Signs of hypoglycemia in dogs show after 30 minutes of ingesting xylitol and include:

• Vomiting
• Dizzyness
• Lethargy

Ingesting xylitol can lead to liver damage and even death so be extra vigilant. Things that can typically contain xylitol include sugar-free but sweetened peanut butter, ketchup, bbq sauce toothpaste and chewing gum.

Chocolate and coffee

A delicious human treat but two things your dog should NEVER eat or drink. Chocolate contains theobromine and coffee contains caffeine, two related substances that are highly toxic to dogs.  Ingesting chocolate and/or coffee will lead to vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness and shaking and can result in death within 24 hours of ingesting. Therefore, always keep chocolates out of reach from your dogs. Be especially vigilant during holidays such as Christmas and easter when chocolate normally is easily accessible.

How to avoid accidentally poisoning your dog?

Dogs have a way of getting into precarious situations. They are curious and will often have a taste of food and food-like substances lying around. It is therefore important to keep the following in mind: keep the fruit bowl filled with grapes on a high countertop where fido will not be able to reach it. Keep the tempting rubbish bin that is filled with leftovers and coffee grounds in a cupboard or with a lid so your dog cannot get to the tasty treats inside. Also ensure your medicines, cleaning products and other potentially toxic substances are out of reach. Be mindful of the plants you have in your garden should some of them be poisonous for your dog. Read our blog about how to puppy proof your home.

Lastly, keep your vet’s number easily accessible should your fur baby mistakenly ingest something so that you can quickly phone and get help.