George K.
Dogs have specific nutritional needs that are different from humans. They cannot digest certain types of food which can lead to problems with their health. For these reasons, you must pay attention to your dog’s nutrition and understand what they can eat, and what may be harmful to their health. Below are some foods you need to prevent feeding your dog.
Almonds
Almonds are a rich source of magnesium, copper, protein, vitamin E, and other essential nutrients but can be lethal when fed to your dog. Almonds can be toxic to your dog if ingested in the whole form because the shell is too hard for them to break down which makes them a choking hazard for dogs. The inner part of almonds contains amygdalin, which can be transformed into the cyanide compound in the body of your dog. As little as 28 to 32 mg of cyanide is lethal for your dog.
Chocolate
A dog’s normal metabolic processes keep the body functioning properly and consuming methylxanthines can cause vomiting, dehydration, tremors, seizures, and even death. Chocolate contains toxic substances called methylxanthines, which are stimulants that stop a dog’s metabolic process.
Ingestion of chocolate is very dangerous to your dog especially if it contains caffeine. Chocolate is also a source of sugar and when combined with calcium can lead to kidney damage, seizures, and even death.
Olives
There is some confusion about dogs eating olives. People always wonder, Can dogs eat olives? Can they not? The truth is, yes, dogs can eat olives, but it has to be in moderation. They contain many vitamins and minerals essential for human health, but dogs fed a full and healthy diet don’t need these additional nutrients. Plain, unsalted olives, on the other hand, can be a good snack for your dog. Olive pits can cause choking or obstructions in dogs.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is beneficial when it comes to losing weight. That is why so many people use cinnamon in their herbal tea and other drinks. However, Cinnamon is one of the types of food that you need to avoid feeding your dog. It should always be avoided because of the liver-damaging effects. Though it is used as a spice in both food and beverages, consuming it in large quantities can lead to damage to the liver resulting in jaundice. It is advisable never to feed your dog anything that contains cinnamon or has been enriched with cinnamon extracts.
Garlic
Garlic, chives, and shallots can be dangerous to give to your dog because these are all members of the onion family. When raw, they can cause anemia in dogs or when cooked they can cause thiamine deficiency. The onion family can also cause anemia in dogs which is why it’s important not to feed them any part of the onion family.
Ice Cream
When it comes to ice cream, you should avoid feeding your dog anything made of dairy. Ice cream contains lactose — a sugar found in milk products — as well as “basically everything” else used to make ice cream. While you can find some sugar-free or low-sugar options for human consumption, these products are not always safe for dogs.
Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia Nuts are poisonous to dogs. These nuts can cause neurologic problems for your pet such as muscle weakness, tremors, and mild to acute pain. Other symptoms that your dog may show when it ingests macadamia nuts include chronic depression, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, difficulty breathing, and changes in heart rate and body temperature.
A toxic dose depends on the size of your dog but standard-sized dogs weighing under 10 pounds can get severely ill after consuming 5 whole or half a nut so it is better not to risk it and take macadamia nuts out of your dog’s reach.
Alcohol
One of the main things you need to avoid feeding your dog is alcohol. Not only is it bad for them to drink, but it can also be dangerous to their health if you were to feed them alcohol-containing products. One of the main ingredients that dogs need to be aware of is ethyl alcohol.
Some symptoms of alcohol poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, incoordination, depression, hypothermia, and even death in severe cases. You should never feed your dog beer, wine, or any other alcoholic beverage.
Many dog lovers tend to give in to the temptations of feeding their dogs with certain food items. You should be very wary when feeding your dog any type of food. Some foods can cause health complications and even lead to death. This is why you need to follow feeding guidelines when taking care of your canine friends. It is vital that you know which are the types of food that you need to avoid giving out to your doggie.
