What Foods Are Bad For Dogs?

If my dog had it his way, every meal or snack that I prepare would be just for him. He’s not much of a gentleman. If given the chance, he would literally run me over to get at a plate of food, without a second thought. A bit on the extreme side of “food driven”, I’d say. But, what foods are bad for dogs?

Many of the foods that we consume on a daily basis can have negative, and even deadly, consequences for our dogs. Which means we have to be acutely aware of the table scraps we feed them under the table, the food our guests may try to slip them, or unaware children who can’t resist sharing their candy. And, given the fact that dogs are so food driven, remember not to turn your back on food that is set out on a counter or tabletop, it may mysteriously disappear.

My dog would never jump up to eat food off the counter, I taught him better than that! So imagine my surprise when I baked chocolate chip cookies one day and found them gone after momentarily leaving the room. Upon my return, I quickly realized my mistake, as there stood a guilty pooch licking his chops, while pretending he did nothing wrong…..(“just an average afternoon mom!”). Chocolate is toxic for dogs, so I was a bit panicked, however, after a call to the vet I was quickly reassured that my dog’s weight, in comparison to the amount of chocolate chips consumed, balanced out to an amount that wouldn’t cause him harm. Whew! Sadly, every year there are many dogs who aren’t so lucky.

What Should I Do If My Dog Consumes A Toxic Food?

If your dog consumes a toxic food, call your vet or emergency clinic immediately to discuss next steps as there are methods that can help. You can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 which is a 24 hour line. Follow the below listing of foods that are bad for dogs in order to keep your dog safe!

Foods That Dogs Should Not Eat

• Chocolate

• Grapes

• Raisins

• Onions

• Alcoholic beverages (ethanol & hops found in beer are the particularly bad elements)

• Apple seeds, plum seeds, apricot pits, cherry pits, peach pits

• Avocados

• Candy (in particular when they contain chocolate, or the sweetner xylitol. Xylitol is also commonly found in sugar-free products.)

• caffeine (coffee/tea/soda)

• garlic

• raw bread dough made with yeast

• macadamia nuts, walnuts

• moldy foods

• mushroom plants

• mustard seeds

• rhubarb leaves

• gum (complications with blockages may occur. Also, sugar-free gum may contain xylitol.)

• butter in large quantities / fat trimmings from meat (can cause pancreatitis)

Signs And Symptoms Of Food Poisoning In Your Dog

Mild signs are vomiting and diarrhea, with more severe symptoms displayed as fever, rapid heart rate, drooling, abdominal pain, rear limb weakness or paralysis, muscle tremors.

Be safe! Always be sure to keep emergency numbers handy. And always protect your garbage cans from your potentially mischievous garbage thief!