Foods
to avoid |
Reasons
to avoid |
|
|
Alcoholic
beverages |
Can
cause intoxication, coma, and death. |
Apples,
Cherries, Peaches and similar fruit |
The seeds of these fruits contain
cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs as well as humans.
Unlike humans, dogs do not know to stop eating at the
core/pit and easily ingest them. The fruit is safe,
the leaves and roots are not. |
Avocados |
The
fruit, pit and plant are all toxic. They can cause difficulty
breathing and fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen
and heart. |
Baby
food |
Can
contain onion powder, which can be toxic to dogs. (Please
see onion below.) Can also result in nutritional deficiencies,
if fed in large amounts. |
Bones
from fish, poultry, or other meat sources |
Can
cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
NEVER, EVER feed
COOKED bones! |
Cat
food |
Generally
too high in protein and fats. |
Chocolate,
coffee, tea, and other caffeine |
Contain
caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can be
toxic and affect the heart and nervous systems. |
Citrus
oil extracts |
Can
cause vomiting. |
Cocoa
Bean Mulch |
Not
a food, but ever present around homes. Symptoms occur
with the ingestion of 45 mg of theobromine per pound
of body weight. Theobromine deaths have been reported
after ingestion of 52 mg per pound of body weight. Cocoa
bean mulch contains 0.19%-2.98% theobromine (54 - 847
mg/oz). |
Detergents
|
Not
a food, but common in the home. Can cause vomiting.
lack of appetite, depression, seizures, collapse, diarrhoea,
burns to mouth. |
Echinacea
|
Should
not be used in pets with immune system disorders such
as lymphoma, autoimmune disease, or suppressed immune
systems. |
Fat
trimmings |
Can
cause pancreatitis. |
Ginkgo
|
Affects
the blood's ability to clot. If it is given with aspirin
or 'blood thinners' such as Coumadin, severe bleeding
could result. |
Ginseng
|
Can
cause increased blood pressure. |
Grapes
and raisins |
Contain
an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys. There
have been no problems associated with grape seed extract. |
Hops |
Unknown
compound causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated
temperature, seizures, and death. |
Human
vitamin supplements containing iron |
Can
damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic
to the other organs including the liver and kidneys. |
Kelp
|
May
have an adverse effect in animals with autoimmune thyroid
disease. |
Liver
(large amounts) |
Can
cause Vitamin A toxicity, which affects muscles and
bones. |
Macadamia
nuts |
Contain
an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and
nervous systems and muscle. |
Ma
huang |
From
the Ephedra plant can cause agitation, hallucinations,
rapid heart rates and seizures. |
Marijuana |
Can
depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes
in the heart rate. |
Melatonin
|
Affects
the central nervous system and can interfere with other
drugs. It should not be given to animals with heart,
kidney or liver disease; immunosuppression; or a history
of anxiety or seizures. |
Milk
and other dairy products |
Some
adult dogs and cats do not have sufficient amounts of
the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in
milk. This can result in diarrhoea. Lactose-free milk
products are available for pets. Cottage cheese and
yoghurt appear to be more stomach friendly. |
Mouldy
or spoiled food, garbage |
Can
contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhoea
and can also affect other organs. |
Mushrooms |
Can
contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in
the body, cause shock, and result in death. |
Nutmeg |
Nutmeg
can cause tremors, seizures and death. |
Onions
and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder) |
Contain
sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood
cells and cause anaemia. Cats are more susceptible than
dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions. |
Pepper |
Can
irritate the skin, eyes, nose and gastrointestinal tract
- not recommended for either cats or dogs. |
Persimmons |
Seeds
can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis. |
Pits
from peaches and plums |
Can
cause obstruction of the digestive tract. |
Popcorn |
Won't
make them sick, but is a significant choking hazard. |
Potato,
rhubarb, and tomato leaves; potato and tomato stems |
Contain
oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and
urinary systems. This is more of a problem in livestock. |
Raw
egg whites |
Contain
an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption
of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair
coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella. |
Raw
fish |
Can
result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading
to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases,
death. More common if raw fish is fed regularly. |
Salt |
If
eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte
imbalances. |
Spices |
Italian
and curly parsley and coriander are considered to be
non-toxic and edible, but may cause stomach irritation.
Mace, paprika and turmeric should be avoided completely. |
St.
John's Wort |
May
prolong or increase the effects of certain narcotic
drugs and anesthetics. |
String |
Can
become trapped in the digestive system; called a "string
foreign body." |
Sugary
foods |
Can
lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes
mellitus. |
Table
scraps (in large amounts) |
Table
scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never
be more than 10% of the diet. Fat should be trimmed
from meat; bones should not be fed. |
Tobacco |
Contains
nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems.
Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and
death. |
Tomatoes |
Ripe
tomatoes are not toxic, however the green parts of the
tomato plant are considered toxic. |
Yeast
dough |
Can
expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing
pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines. |
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