Dog Food: Poisonous Foods
Most dog owners look after their pet very well, taking care over what the dog is fed. However there is actually quite a lot a dog owner needs to understand about the types of food a dog eats, and which ones are good for them, and which not.
Many people like to feed their dog foods from their own dinner table, and it is quite alright to do this, either occasionally or all the time, but you do need to be aware of some human food which dogs should never be given. Some human food can actually even be poisonous to your dog.
Be careful with everything you give your dog to eat, making sure that you know it is safe for him as well as nutritious. The best way to ensure good nutrition is to read dog food labels carefully. Table food, however, does not always come with a label, so here are some of the things to avoid:-
Coffee raises the heart rate, which can cause a number of problems, including GI track difficulties and even seizures.
Grapes and raisins have caused dogs to develop kidney failure and should be avoided at all costs.
Chocolate, which many people would like to give to their dog as a treat, is actually a terrible thing to give him, because it contains caffeine; as with coffee, this raises the heart rate and can cause seizures.
Ibuprofen is a drug which attracts dogs, because they love the smell, however it is these days the second most common cause of poisoning in dogs.
Onions are another highly poisonous food which affect a dog's red blood cell balance.
Acidic foods, in general, are bad for dogs, because acidity can cause damage to the dog's GI track. Some of the side effects of this can be fever, restlessness, panting, vomiting and more.
The most common cause of poisoning in dogs today is rat poison, so be very careful to keep poison and traps well away from anywhere your dog can reach.
Making sure your dog has a properly balanced diet of dog food which is just for dogs, leaving human food to the humans, is the safest way to go. If you have any questions or doubts on the matter of what to feed your dog, then get professional advice from your vet, and be sure to follow that advice closely. Remember, a treat for your dog in the form of a titbit from the table can actually poison him.
