We commonly get asked what are safe and unsafe foods to feed my dog? There are lots of “human” foods that can be safe for dogs – but lots of foods us humans take for granted can be highly toxic to dogs. Stay tuned for our next article on toxic household items for cats too!
Chocolate
Most people know about chocolate – it is toxic to dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic – so baking chocolate is often the worst. That doesn’t mean milk or white chocolate poses no threat though – and often dogs can be lactose intolerant too.
There are chemicals in chocolate called methylxanthines that act like ultra high dose caffeine on a dogs heart and nervous system and in high enough doses cause fast heart rates, seizures, coma and in severe cases, death. All chocolate is best avoided in dogs.
Onions and Garlic
Have you ever shared pizza or Spaghetti Bolognese with your dog? Did you know that in rare instances – onions and garlic can be toxic to dogs? It is incredibly rare – but they are best avoided as they can cause aplastic anaemia that is incredibly hard to both diagnose and treat. So next time you want to sit down to a bowl of pasta with your best friend – better to give him or her some cooked pasta but hold the sauce.
Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts are one of the most toxic foods known for dogs – they cause partial or often complete paralysis of the entire body. Just one macadamia nut is enough to cause toxicity in a dog the size of a Labrador, and there is no specific treatment apart from supportive care and time. We have seen dogs at Concord Veterinary Hospital who have eaten macadamia nuts who are unable to walk and require ventilation support. Avoid them!
Grapes and Sultanas
Grapes and sultanas are up there with macadamia nuts for their toxicity – however they can cause catastrophic acute kidney failure. It is not well understood why grapes are so toxic to dogs – but one grape can be enough to send some dogs into kidney failure. Sometimes the kidney failure will not show up for a few days and by then it is too late – the damage is done.
Ibuprofen and Other Human Medications or Illicit Substances
Many many human medications and illicit drugs are highly toxic to dogs. Drugs such as ibuprofen, human asprin doses, anti-depressants, epilepsy medication and illicit substances such as marijuana and MDMA can be very dangerous if administered to animals and result in kidney, liver and permanent brain damage. It is well advised to not administer any human medication to your pets.
So what should you do if your dog ingests any of these foods or medications?
You should call us as soon as possible (if we are closed, reach out to a 24 hour emergency veterinarian) and provide us with as much information for example; what sort of chocolate, approximately how much chocolate, what sort of drug ingested and when was it consumed. This will help us to formulate a plan on how to best treat your dog in these emergency cases.