Never feed these things to your dog: 10 Foods Say No To

It’s hard to say no to your furry friend. Right? Especially when you get encountered with puppy eyes, cute faces and unconditional attention to get the food you are eating. Dogs love to copy their human parents and would love to eat everything they are eating. 

Irrespective of the full healthy meals you give them during the day, they still want to eat whatever you eat. And, we out of love, share our food with them without knowing the effect it could have on their health. 

Yes, you have read it right! 

Not everything a human eats is healthy for your fur friends. Many items are completely toxic food for your dogs. 

Hence, in this post, we have discussed the list of top 10 foods that you should never give to your dogs irrespective of the breed, size and efforts they make. Remember, they are the cute ones but being a responsible dog parent, you are the smart ones. Make the smart choice and never feed these toxic foods to your dog.

10 Foods Say No To:

Here’s the list of 10 toxic foods for your dogs that should never be given:

 

Milk Products

This might be surprising for many, especially to Indian pet parents. You will find many dog lovers feeding milk to street dogs as it's the easiest option available to feed dogs. And, somehow their bodies have become tolerant of it. 

But there is a scientific reason for not feeding milk to pet dogs. Because dogs lack significant amounts of lactase in them. It’s an enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk and provides nutrients to the body. Giving milk and other dairy products to dogs causes diarrhoea or upsets their digestive system. 

You will find such issues in some humans as well. Many people are not tolerant to milk or other dairy products irrespective of the healthy properties it has. 

You can feed low-fat cheese to your dogs in small quantities. But keep an eye to understand whether your dog’s gut is happy to have it or not. 

 

Mushrooms

Mushrooms in even real life have their level of toxicity. It contains several toxins that may cause liver damage or kidney failure resulting in diarrhoea, vomiting, hallucination and even damage to red blood cells. 

A responsible pet parent should always avoid feeding mushrooms to their pooches. Instead, choose another treat to curb the needs of your dogs. 

There are several cases in history where feeding mushrooms affected many body parts of the dogs, causing seizures, allergies, shock and even sudden death. 

So, please say no to Mushrooms!

 

Raw Eggs

This might sound surprising knowing eggs are full of protein and other nutrients. Yes, eggs are good for your pup’s health but the well-cooked ones only. 

Several pet parents eat raw eggs themselves to get the gym diet but that doesn’t mean your dog needs to do the same. Just because it’s an animal doesn’t mean he can eat anything.

The scientific reason why you should not feed raw eggs to your dog is that eggs contain an enzyme called Avidin. This enzyme restricts the absorption of one of the essential vitamins, Biotin which causes deficiencies in dogs. Without Biotin, they would have unhealthy coats, digestion problems skin allergies and more. 

Also, eggs carry Salmonella which is highly poisonous to dogs. 

Hence, we are not stopping you from feeding eggs to your pooches, but asking you to feed them well-cooked ones only. 

 

Salt and Related Snacks

Feeding salt to your dogs is not necessary. They don’t need to have salt as per the taste. Feeding them salt can lead to sodium ion poisoning and sometimes, dehydration. 

The salt can produce excessive thirst and urination that creates dehydration problems resulting in depression, tremors, seizures, elevated body temperatures and even death. 

Hence, always avoid feeding your pet salt-heavy snacks like potato chips, popcorn, etc. Let your dog have natural ways of having salt in their foods. Though a bare minimum quantity is fine but depends on your dog’s capabilities to ingest it. 

 

Avocados and Broccoli

We are sure whenever you hear Avocados and Broccoli, the word healthy comes to your mind. But it’s not true when it comes to dogs. 

Avocados contain a substance called Persin that can become poison for your dog and cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Eating avocados triggers fluid accumulation in the chest and lungs leading to difficulty in breathing or might occur to death from oxygen deprivation. 

On the other hand, Broccoli contains Isothiocyanates that are harmful to your pets. Also, broccoli stalks can get stuck in your dog’s throat causing an obstruction and choking in the process. 

 

Sugary Food and Related Drinks

Speaking of sugar-processed items, Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many sugar-related products including drinks, gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. It can cause specific insulin release in many dogs which can lead to liver failure. The insulin leads to low sugar levels, also known as Hypoglycemia which includes signs such as vomiting, loss of coordination and lethargy in dogs. It can also tune into seizures. 

Also, on the contrary, feeding too much sugar can lead to weight gain, tooth decay and diabetes in your pets. Hence, instead of regretting it, it's better to say no to sugar-processed items. 

 

Caffeine, Coffee and Chocolates

Products having chocolates, caffeine or coffee contain substances called Methylxanthines. It’s found in the cacao seeds, a fruit of the plant used to make coffee and chocolates. Its nuts are also used in some sodas. The point is when this substance is ingested into your dog, it can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive thirst and urination, panting, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures, tremors and ultimately death. 

Keep in mind that dark chocolates are more dangerous than milk chocolates. Therefore, being a human, you can have the joys of such pleasures, but don’t give these joys to your dog. You might regret it. 

 

Grapes, Raisins and Nuts

Most vets recommend not feeding grapes and raisins to your dog. Although the enzyme that’s toxic in grapes for dogs is unknown, feeding grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure. Hence, it’s better to avoid and stay cautious rather than regret it later.

Similarly, one should never feed any kind of nuts to the dogs including pecans, walnuts and almonds. They contain high amounts of fats and oils which can lead to vomiting and diarrhoea and pancreatitis in pets. One of the famous nuts, Macadamia nuts can cause depression, weakness, tremors, vomiting and hyperthermia in dogs. 

Such signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and create trouble that can last for more than 2-3 days.

 

Onions, Garlic and Chives

These herbs are good for the human body but can cause gastrointestinal irritation in dogs. Sometimes, it can lead to red blood cell damage and even anaemia in dogs. 

Although cats keep themselves away from these herbs, dogs are more at risk of eating and getting affected if large amounts of these herbs are consumed. 

 

Coconut and Coconut Oil

Coconut oil might give good results when used on your dog’s coat but ingesting coconut or coconut oil can cause serious harm to your pet. The milk and flesh of coconuts contain oil that may upset your dog’s stomach, and cause loose stools or diarrhoea. 

Hence, we don’t recommend feeding anything with coconut, even its water as it's high in potassium and should not be given to your dog at all. 

Takeaways:

The above-listed products are a few toxic foods for your dogs that should never be given even in your dreams. These are highly toxic to your dogs and may result in some serious medical conditions. Hence, it’s better to stay cautious and knowledgeable rather than regretful. 

Many other food items should not be recommended to your dog. We will be sharing the list of more food items that should be prohibited for your dog. Till then, keep taking care of your dog and pamper your pooch by giving amazing pet grooming sessions. We know he/she means the world to you.