Foods dangerous to dogs

Foods dangerous to dogs!

Did you know that more than 10,000 dogs a year are poisoned at home? If you have a dog that will eat anything and is always picking up bits at home, be aware of the foods that can be fatal to your dog.
Foods such as sultanas, grapes and raisins are highly significant foods dangerous to dogs, causing canine kidney failure. Pretty sure many of us have given a sneaky morsel of fruit cake to our dog at some time – just be aware dried fruit is harmful.

A Kennel Club poisons expert has been quoted as saying “There are a number of ways a dog can get access to dangerous and potentially lethal substances, whether by accident, deliberate feeding or through owners mistakenly believing certain products – particularly foods eaten by humans – are fine for a dog to eat. Many seemingly harmless foods can be dangerous for a dog and owners need to know these risks in order to protect their much loved dogs”.

Dogs have a great sense of smell and can sniff out any tasty tit bit, so be careful where you store items that can be harmful. Some dogs will eat just about anything!

Some harmful household items/foods dangerous to dogs are:

Grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas, can cause canine kidney failure and dried fruit is worse than fresh.

Chocolate. Contains theobromine that can trigger fits and heart problems as well as diarrhoea and sickness.

Chewing gum. The sweetener xylitol can cause liver failure and just one pack can be fatal.

Onions, garlic and leeks, can damage red blood cells, causing life threatening anaemia.

E-cigarettes. 64 dogs in 2014 were taken to the vet after chewing the nicotine rich refills, which damages the heart. This was an increase of 300%.

Laundry detergent, can create frothy vomit that harms the lungs.

Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. Can cause kidney and liver failure.

If you suspect your dog may have been poisoned, or you think he may have eaten something suspicious, as symptoms may take a few days to appear, contact your vet immediately for advice.
Please take care with your dog’s diet and refrain from feeding human food that is not designed for their consumption – you may not know what is in it.

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