Toxic Food

[CarolynM]

I have pinched this from site Labrador Rescue - it makes interesting reading

FOODS TOXIC TO DOGS



AVOCADOS - (fruit, pip, and plant) are toxic to dogs. They can cause difficulty breathing; fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart; or pancreatitis.

ONIONS - destroy red blood cells and can cause anaemia, weakness, and breathing difficulty. Even small amounts can cause cumulative damage over time. This includes onions or chives - raw, powdered, dehydrated, or cooked.

GARLIC - in large amounts cause the same problems as onions.

GRAPES & RAISINS - can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill him. If the dog doesn't eat enough at one time to be fatal, he can be severely damaged by eating just a few grapes or raisins regularly.

TOMATOES - can cause tremors and heart arrhythmia’s. Tomato plants and the most toxic, but tomatoes themselves are also unsafe. (All parts of the plant except the tomato itself are also poisonous to humans.

NUTMEG - can cause tremors, seizures and death.

CAFFEINE - (from coffee, coffee grounds, tea, or tea bags) stimulates the central nervous and cardiac systems, and can cause vomiting, restlessness, heart palpitations, and even death within hours.

XYLITOL - Diet products containing the sweetener can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, resulting in depression, loss of co-ordination and seizures. Unless treatment is given quickly, the dog could die.

MACADEMIA NUTS - can cause weakness, muscle tremor and paralysis. These symptoms are usually temporary.

WALNUTS - are poisonous to dogs, a type of fungus common to walnuts (especially wet deadfall walnuts) will cause severe episodes of seizuring.

CHOCOLATE - can cause seizures, coma and death. Baker’s chocolate is the most dangerous. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. But any chocolate, in large enough amounts, can kill a dog. An ounce of chocolate can poison a 30-pound dog, and many dogs will happily consume more than this. The symptoms may not show up for several hours (and so might make you think all is well), with death following within twenty-four hours. A dog can consume milk chocolate and appear to be fine because it is not as concentrated, but it is still dangerous.

APPLE SEEDS - cherry pips, peach pips, pear pips, plum pips, peaches and apricot pips contain cyanide, which is poisonous.

SALT - in high amounts can cause kidney problems. Also, large breeds of dogs that eat salty food may then drink too much water and develop bloat, which is fatal unless emergency treatment is given very quickly.

FAT - or fried foods can cause pancreatitis.
Ham and bacon contain too much fat and too much salt, and can cause pancreatitis. Also, large breeds of dogs that eat salty food may drink too much water and develop a life-threatening condition called bloat. This is where the stomach fills up with gas and within several hours may twist, causing death.

LIVER - Raw or too much cooked liver (three servings a week) can lead to vitamin A toxicity. This can cause deformed bones, excessive bone growth on the elbows and spine, weight loss, and anorexia. Check the label of your canned dog food to be sure that it does not contain liver if you are giving your dog liver also.

WILD MUSHROOMS - can cause abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting, diarrhoea, convulsions, coma, or death.

RAW EGG WHITES - contain a protein called avidin, which can deplete your dog of biotin, one of the B vitamins. Biotin is essential to your dog’s growth and coat health. The lack of it can cause hair loss, weakness, growth retardation, or skeleton deformity. Raw egg yolks contain enough biotin to prevent the deficiency, so this is not a problem with raw whole eggs. Raw egg yolks could contain salmonella, so you should get your eggs from a reliable source or cook the eggs.

GRAINS - should not be given in large amounts or make up a large part of a dog’s diet, but rice is generally safe in small amounts.

COOKED BONES - can splinter and tear a dog’s internal organs.

SOME VEGETABLES - are undigestable (green beans, sweetcorn, lettuce, potatoes or yams) whole or in large pieces, Potato peels and green potatoes are dangerous.

DAIRY PRODUCTS - are high in fat, which can cause pancreatitis, gas and diarrhoea. A small amount of non-fat, plain yoghurt is usually safe.

PENNIES/COINS - made from the 1980s to date contain zinc, which can cause kidney failure and damage to red blood cells. A dog that consumes even one penny can become quite sick, or even die, if the penny is not removed.

[janrobinson]

Good Lord. what a list.

My 3 love tomatoes and have a cherry tomato each at tea time. A vet on T.V. suggested that tomatoes stopped the urine killing the grass, but did also suggest you could use ketchup if you wanted. They also love their porridge. Are Oats a grain ? I am obviously killing them with kindness

[CarolynM]

It was worrying - my old Anna loved potato peelings and the gang go mad for an apple or pear core.

Can I also add a personal plea - batteries, especially at this time of year!!

Recently Ben (who is our big old lab) swollowed a battery. The vets tried to make him sick (which he was) but no battery. The poisons unit said that if it wasn't leaking (which x-rays confirmed it wasn't) it would be ok to leave for 48 hours to see if nature took its course), which it didn't.

We took him back, where a more detailed x-ray showed a tumour in front of the battery. 3 hours later, a 4 kilo splenic tumour and a battery were removed. The battery had started to leak which, if I hadn't seen Ben eat it, would have meant he, well you know the outcome.

I suppose it was a blessing in disguise because he was showing no symptoms at all. Ben is getting back to his old self now but it could have been so much different.

xx

[janrobinson]

What luck, Carolyn, for them to find that tumour. As you say if it hadn't been for the battery you would never have known it was there until it was too late. Definitely a blessing in disguise. Give him a big hug from me.

[superjazz]

As Jan says what a list. Jazz & Candy do love a Pilchard in Tomato sauce.
They love pasta as well but that is not on list. Praise be !!
Hope Ben has a new lease of life.
P, S J & C

[patnpaul]

Wow, what a list. Holly loves weetabix which she started having when she first arrived and would not eat dog food. She has these every night before bed and complains if she does not get them. Makes you think ?

Please give Ben a hug from us and hope he continues to get well

xx

[Cobi and Ginnies Mum]

What a list...
We hope Ben is going to be OK.
I can remember printing off a list from Dogs Trust that Susan mentioned probably last year with 5 A4 pages of poisons and damaging things that can harm dogs, still got it in the dog first aid kit.

Gemma (Mum's first Golden over 30 years ago) had a 'penchant' for handkerchiefs that were tucked inside friends sleeves, whoosh it would gone staright down her throat, pop sox were also another favourite if she got to the washing basket before it went into the washing machine. You have to have eyes in the back of your head, and see through walls. 'NASTY' AND SPIT IT OUT have been used many times over the years with different goldens, followed by prising open the jaws to reveal things just about to be swallowed! Little devils.

[lynn wise]

Hope all going well with Ben. Looks like he almost did himself a favour with that battery, otherwise Carolyn and Ian wouldn't have known about the tumour. "It's an ill wind". Thank goodness you saw him do it Carolyn. Like everyone else, give him a hug from us.

That list is an eye opener for sure. How many of us have reared our youngsters on Weetabix, egg and milk. As for the apple cores and pears, ours have always wanted to be the first to find one, then down in a flash. The one that made me wonder, the grains. The first complete foods were more like rabbit jock, full of different grains and pulses, where would they fit into the scheme of things. Reading the list thru', I also wonder what some of those things do to us.

Hope all is well with everyone, we don't seem to be doing much catch up at present, must be Xmas shopping.
Love to All. Lynn