6 People Foods That Are Unsuitable for Pets

Your pet’s sheepish grin and pleading blue eyes can get you to do pretty much anything – including chucking them a few bites of your own food. Indeed, when it comes to our pets, our hearts often rule over our minds, which is why we do not think about the perils of sharing our foods with them. Of course, not every human food is harmful to your dog or cat, but, there is a surprisingly long list of human edibles that your pet should avoid giving them.

People Foods That Are Unsuitable For Pets:

1. • Alcohol:

Any food products or beverages that contain alcohol, when consumed by dogs, can lead to serious problems. These problems include diarrhea, vomiting, reduced coordination, tremors, and breathing difficulties, depression of the central nervous system, coma, and death. This means that your pet should never, ever get any alcohol or related products in any amount. If you feel that your pet might have ingested such a product, you should waste no time in reaching out to us.

1. • Caffeine:

Caffeine-based products, including coffee and chocolates, contain methylxanthines. In pets, this substance can lead to panting, diarrhea, vomiting, excessive urination and thirst, arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm), hyperactivity, seizures, tremors, and death. While no kind of chocolate is desirable for dogs, darker chocolates – owing to their higher methyl xanthine levels – are particularly toxic.

1. • Avocados:

Avocados are problematic for various animals. The fruit can lead to many different kinds of problems, with the most significant being cardiovascular issues. Avocado-related cardio problems are more frequent in rabbits and birds. Ruminants, donkeys, and horses, meanwhile, tend to suffer from edematous and swollen necks and heads.

1. • Garlic and Onions:

Garlic and onions – whether dehydrated, cooked, powdered, or raw – should be kept away from pets, particularly dogs. If consumed, these items can lead to a reduction in red blood cells, thereby causing anemia. Consuming a large quantity of garlic or onion, altogether, can lead to even dire and urgent consequences, such as vomiting, weakness, and difficulties breathing.

1. • Raisins and grapes:

Raisins and grapes can lead to kidney failure in pets, even though we are still not sure about the substance that is responsible for this. However, until we find more information regarding this substance, we strongly recommend that you do not feed these fruits to your pet.

1. • Dairy and milk:

Lactase is an enzyme that is responsible for breaking down lactose into milk. Compared to humans, pets, such as dogs, possess considerably lower quantities of lactase. Therefore, any dairy-based product can cause pets to develop an upset stomach and digestive issues.

Final Word:

To sum up, no matter how pure our intentions, there are certain foods that our pets find intolerable at best and toxic at worst. To learn more about pet care tips, feel free to check out some of the our other blogs on Richmond Road Veterinary Clinic and Tates Creek Animal Hospital. Or, contact us if you have any questions at all.