Thirteen Foods that Can Kill Your Pet

Posted Tue, 06/29/2010 - 15:41 by Phil Good
www.tcvclinic.com

It’s not uncommon for people to accidentally leave food sitting out on a coffee table or other low-lying location where pets are tempted to steal a bite. This happens more often during the holidays, when there are massive quantities of food and people are more easily distracted by the large congregation of family and friends. But, this mistake can be costly. A number of common foods can seriously harm or even kill your beloved pets. Be diligent and do not leave food lying around. It is also important as a pet owner that you educate yourself on specific foods to avoid. Listed below are foods that can kills your pet, and the clinical signs that you'll observe with your pet after consuming the food.

The List

1. Grapes and Raisins: These cause kidney failure and death when ingested by dogs. Even a small serving can be lethal.

2. Onions: Onions kill red blood cells, resulting in anemia in your pet. High intake can result in death.

3. Chocolate: Seizures, coma, and death can result from your dog consuming chocolate. Highly concentrated chocolate such as baking chocolate is the most lethal to your pets, but even milk chocolate can be quite dangerous.

4. Coffee, Coffee grounds, tea and tea bags: Drinks/foods containing caffeine cause problems similar to the problems caused by chocolate.

5. Macadamia Nuts and Walnuts: Muscle tremor, paralysis, and weakness are a result of macadamia nut and walnut consumption. Other types of nuts can cause bladder stones, so it is recommended that you avoid feeding your pet nuts altogether. Peanut Butter seems to be the exception to the rule. Make sure to use organic (salt free/sugar free) peanut butter. Regular peanut butter contains toxins, and is full of pesticides.

6. Animal fat and fried foods: Pancreatitis can result from too much animal fat or fried foods, so avoid feeding your pet things like fried chicken, too much red meat, etc. It can also lead to obesity as well if too much is eaten, which can lead to diabetes.

7. Bones: They can splinter and, if swallowed, lead to internal organ damage.

8. Tomatoes: Heart arrythmias and tremors may result from your pet consuming tomatoes.

9. Avocados: Found in guacamole, this fruit is very toxic to your pet. Avocados cause difficulty breathing and leas to fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen, and heart.

10. Nutmeg: If consumed, nutmeg can lead to tremors, seizures, and possibly death.

11. Pits and Seeds of Apples, Cherries, Peaches, etc.: These are extremely poisonous to both dogs and humans. The fruit itself is great, but dogs will not stop eating once they reach the core/pit. Dogs have reported being dead within 24 hours of consumption.

12. Raw eggs: Just like in humans, eating raw eggs can poison your pet with samonella.

13. Salt: Large amounts of salt can lead to kidney issues for your dog or cat.
…and there you have it. Remember, this is not a complete list of all foods that can be harmful to your pet. As always, consult your vet if you have any questions. Play it safe and stick with regular dog or cat food. Also, if you wish to take things a step further, ensure your dog or cat’s health by investing in an automatic pet feeder that will precisely control the amount of food your pet consumes.