Deb D’Andrea, Nederland.  My pups enjoy several foods I cook for them and myself, with me always being aware of how I prepare my food so I can share with them. There are several foods we can easily consume which are harmful, if not fatal, to our dogs.  Some foods are ones most people know about, like chocolate; while others are not so obvious.

I have met many a dog who has indulged in holiday chocolates which have been left at nose height during parties, with their people wondering just how much was consumed and if their dog will survive. I’ve read there are a couple components to dogs’ successfully living after consuming chocolate – determine how much was consumed; what is the weight of the dog and how long ago did they ingest it; and then what type of chocolate was consumed, with darker chocolates being a more serious poisoning. For instance, baker’s chocolate and cocoa powders are more toxic than milk chocolate.

Your dog may react by vomiting, by having diarrhea or potentially may experience seizures.  Your best bet for a happy dog is an immediate trip to your Veterinary or ER to ensure the best possible outcome.

Xylitol is not something you will find in pet food, but is something you will find in sugarless gum, candy, and baked goods.  While Xylitol is approved for people, it can cause liver damage and a life-threatening drop in blood sugar in dogs.  One single piece of sugar-free gum consumed by a ten pound dog is potentially enough for a toxic dose! So if your dog has a sweet tooth, be sure to keep all these items out of reach and don’t share with them no matter how much they may beg for that sweet morsel.

Grapes and raisins are another item not commonly thought of as being poisonous to dogs, but grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure.  Onions and garlic can lead to anemia; and yeast dough, unbaked bread, pizza dough, and raw bread dough used in making bread, rolls, and pizza can be life threatening if consumed. With the unbaked bread dough, when ingested it expands in the warm environment of the stomach, which can result in bloat or a twisted stomach. With yeast dough, the alcohol created from the fermenting yeast is absorbed and can quickly cause alcohol poisoning resulting in seizures and respiratory failure.

I’ve read a lot as to what my dogs can and cannot have and the list above is tiny compared to all out there that can harm your pup. When cooking my food to share with them, if I have any question in my mind I’ll go online and research the food in question to ensure I am not feeding my girls something toxic.

Till next time. Deb D’Andrea, founder of 4TheLuvOfDogz, provides mobile Canine Massage, Canine Agility and Petz Nanny Services for dogs, cats, birds, fish, horses, and other critters. 4TheLuvOfDogz home-made dog treats are sold at local stores, and K9Birthday Cakes are available direct. Contact Deb at 720-675-7078 or info@4theluvofdogz.com for more information.