19 common foods you should never give to your dog

Feeding your dog raw foods is a common practice but is often a bad idea. Leading veterinary associations agree that you definitely shouldn’t feed your dog raw egg as this places them at risk of food poisoning caused by bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. If you’re unsure about what raw foods are okay for your dog, discuss the issue with your dog’s vet.

We all know that ‘chocolate isn’t good for dogs,’ as the popular advertisement tells us, but do you know why? It is the theobromine in dark, milk, and white chocolate that can harm your beloved pet, but unsweetened cooking chocolate and dark chocolate are the most dangerous. If your dog does consume chocolate, they may suffer from diarrhea and vomiting, as well as much more serious health conditions such as convulsions, tremors, and heart problems. In some cases, dogs can even die from eating chocolate. Visit the vet with your pet if they eat chocolate, don’t take any chance.

Tea, coffee, and other products that contain the stimulant caffeine can kill dogs. A few laps of coffee or tea probably won’t hurt but our canine friends are a lot more sensitive to caffeine than we are. If your pooch gets its paws on tea bags or coffee beans and chows down, it could be at risk of caffeine poisoning, the symptoms of which resemble those of chocolate toxicity, chocolate also being a stimulant.

Frankly, ham and bacon aren’t good for our pets or us! Ham, bacon, and meat trimmings are all high in fat and can be the cause of pancreatitis in your pooch. These foods also contain a lot of salt and so can result in upset stomachs. In rare instances, eating high-salt foods will prompt a dog to drink an unhealthy amount of water, resulting in bloating and potentially death. Feed your dog lean meats.

Alcohol isn’t good for our brains and livers and it isn’t good for those of our dogs either! The only difference is that your dog needs to consume a lot less alcohol than you to suffer serious damage. Only a small amount of alcohol or foods that contain alcohol are needed to harm your dog. Also, the smaller your pet, the less they’ll need before they start suffering the ill effects of alcohol, which include diarrhea, vomiting, problems with breathing and coordination, coma, and, in some cases, death.

You will find a chemical compound called persin in avocados. As long as you’re not allergic to it, persin is good for humans but if your dog eats too much avocado, they may suffer from diarrhea or vomiting. Persin isn’t just in the avocado fruit, it is also in the seeds, bark, and leaves of the avocado plant, so keep your dog away from avocado plants, too. Moreover, make sure you dispose of avocado seeds securely. These seeds can obstruct your dog’s stomach or intestines and this can kill them.

Macadamia nuts and any foods that contain them are a real no-no for your dog. As few as six roasted or raw nuts can make your dog ill and bring on symptoms such as fever, hind-leg weakness, vomiting, and muscle tremors. Also, while macadamia nuts and chocolate are a popular and tasty combination for us, if your dog eats them together they will cause an aggravated response, with acute symptoms and even death a possibility.

Ice cream, milk, cheese, and all other dairy products can go down very badly with your dog, causing diarrhea and digestive issues as well as potentially triggering an allergic reaction in the form of uncomfortable itching. That milkshake is a delicious treat for you, but your dog should stick to water.

Citrus plant leaves, stems, and fruits (including peel) all contain different amounts of essential oils and citric acid. These can result in irritation and can even depress the central nervous system if enough is consumed. However, when dogs eat just the citrus fruit, they’ll ingest only a small amount of acid and oils, which isn’t likely to cause any issues besides a slightly upset stomach.

Chewing gum, candy, pastries, and even certain healthy foods and toothpaste use the sugar substitute xylitol to sweeten them. If your dog eats xylitol, it can cause a drop in blood pressure and liver failure, with problems with coordination, lethargy, and vomiting all being early warning signs of the condition. After consuming xylitol your dog may convulse with liver failure occurring in just days.

A bit of corn is not a problem for your dog but don’t give them corn on the cob. If your dog eats the whole thing, cob included, they could choke or suffer an intestinal blockage, both of which can prove fatal.

Your dog can eat grapes and raisins and not suffer any negative health effects, but this is not always the case. Sometimes, raisins and grapes can cause kidney failure in our four-legged friends, with dogs suffering from lethargy and vomiting as their kidneys fail and they ultimately pass away. Don’t risk it. Make sure your pet can’t slurp up any grapes or raisins.

Do you enjoy making your own bread? Fresh, homemade bread is sensational, but if your dog gets its chops on your yeasted dough, they may be in trouble. Yeast is what makes the dough rise by fermenting in the mix. If your pooch eats it, the dough will swell in its stomach, potentially stretching the abdomen, which can be extremely painful. Moreover, the fermentation of yeast produces alcohol, which can give your pet alcohol poisoning.

The flesh of an apple will not be a problem for your dog, but apple seeds contain amygdalin, a toxin. Your dog will need to eat a lot of apple cores to suffer any ill effects but if they do, the amygdalin will release cyanide, which will then enter the dog’s bloodstream.

Raw egg poses a problem for dogs, and so do raw fish and meat. Uncooked meat, fish and eggs can all result in food poisoning caused by nasty bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. Also, certain fish, including shad, sturgeon, trout and salmon, can carry a parasite responsible for something known as ‘fish disease,’ which is curable but only if treated immediately. Early warning signs include fever, enlarged lymph nodes, and vomiting. Cooking fish and meat properly will kill parasites and bacteria.

We’ve already discussed salty meats but it’s worth discussing salt again. If your dog eats a lot of foods that are high in salt, including pretzels and chips, they will be at risk of ionic sodium poisoning. As a result, your dog could suffer from depression, tremors, fever, convulsions, diarrhea, vomiting, and even death.

A favorite for humans, garlic and onions, whether they are raw, cooked, dehydrated or in powdered form, are no good for your devoted pet. In dogs, they can lead to a reduction in red blood cells, resulting in a condition called anemia. There is often some onion powder in baby food, so be mindful that your dog shouldn’t be scoffing pre-prepared food for kids. A little bit will probably be fine but high amounts can poison your pet. Symptoms include breathing difficulties, vomiting, or weakness.

You would never intentionally feed your dog your medication, of course, but if you have pets, it is good to keep your drugs well out of their reach. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are both common ingredients in cold and pain relief medication and both of these substances can kill your pet. You should only ever give your dog the medications you are advised to by their veterinary.

Coconut and products based on coconut aren’t going to prove fatal to your dog but the oils that the milk and flesh of coconuts contain can upset their stomach and give them diarrhea. Also, high-potassium coconut water won’t do your dog any good, so keep them away from coconut products.