10 Foods Your Dog Should Never Eat

When you have a dog, your mealtimes and snack times can sometimes be less enjoyable when you’re in the same room as your pet.

Why?

It can be hard to ignore a cute pup with pleading eyes, wagging their tail while waiting for you to give them a morsel of your food. You’ll likely give your pet a bite when they start pawing at your leg, rest their chin on your knee, and let out a sad whimper.

But before you give your furry friend a bit of what you’re eating, you need to know what foods make dogs sick. The last thing you want to happen is to put your pet in danger just because you want to share your meal or snack with them.

The best thing to do whenever you’re eating and your pet is begging for a bite is to have their favourite dog food on hand and give them a little so they can munch on something as you enjoy your meal or snack.

Foods That Are Bad for Your Dog

What are the foods that are not allowed for dogs?​ Read about them below.

1. Avocado

If you’re having avocado toast for breakfast or tacos with guacamole for dinner, keep your food away from your dog.

Avocados contain persin, an oil-soluble compound that’s toxic to dogs. It’s found in the flesh, seed, leaves, and bark of avocados. Excessive amounts of this substance can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in canines.

Avoid placing fresh avocados where your dog can reach them since the fruit may get stuck in their throat or intestines if they swallow it whole.   

Choose dog food with healthy oils, such as AATU products, to ensure they get enough essential nutrients daily.

2. Cherry

Although you may want to share a slice of cherry pie with your furry friend, enjoy this treat on your own. The pits, leaves, and stems of cherries contain cyanide, a poisonous chemical that’s toxic to both humans and animals and can be deadly when ingested in large doses.

Because of this, cherries are one of the top foods poisonous to dogs.

Dried cherries are bad for dogs, too, since they contain preservatives and extra sugar that can upset your pet’s stomach. These treats also have an extra chewy texture, which can make it hard for canines to swallow and cause choking or obstruction in their digestive tract.

3. Chocolate

Is chocolate bad for dogs? The answer is yes. Chocolates contain methylxanthine, a stimulant that can affect a dog’s metabolic process. Dark chocolate contains a high amount of this substance that even a small piece can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in canines,

When dogs consume too much chocolate, they can develop tremors, seizures, and irregular heart function. They may even die when they’re not given immediate treatment.

If you constantly reward yourself with a bar of chocolate, eat it somewhere your pet can’t see you.

4. Coffee and any food or drink with caffeine

Caffeine is a type of methylxanthine, the harmful substance mentioned earlier. Canines are highly sensitive to caffeine, and even a tiny amount can cause them to develop the same symptoms of chocolate ingestion, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and tremors.

Avoid letting your dog lick even a small drop of coffee, tea, soda, or energy drink. Also, keep your coffee beans and grounds somewhere your dog can’t reach them.  

If you think your dog drank or ate something with caffeine (such as tiramisu or coffee cookies), bring them to the vet immediately.  

5. Garlic, onion, and other alliums

Alliums, which include garlic, onion, chives, and leeks, have toxins called disulphides and thiosulfates, compounds that contain sulphur that can damage red blood cells. This can lead to Heinz body anaemia, a type of haemolytic anaemia in which the red blood cells break down quicker than the body can replace them.

Among the members of the allium plants, garlic is the most toxic for dogs.

Dogs that ingest large amounts of alliums, including powdered or granulated varieties, can develop symptoms hours after consuming them. These include vomiting, pale gums, weakness, an elevated heart rate, and breathing problems.

If you want to change your pet’s dog food, check if it contains any allium additive. Trusted pet food brands, such as Kiwi Kitchens, use only pet-friendly ingredients that are healthy and safe for canines.

6. Grapes and raisins

Grapes and raisins (which are dried grapes) are some of the fruits and vegetables dogs can’t eat. They are highly toxic and even just a few pieces can cause fatal kidney failure in canines.

Throwing up repeatedly is an early sign that your dog ate grapes or raisins. Your pet will start feeling sluggish and depressed within the next few hours.

Since grapes and raisins can have potentially fatal effects on dogs, make sure you never feed them this fruit. Keep them out of reach of your pets as well.  

 7. Macadamia nuts

Although dogs can eat small amounts of peanuts and peanut butter, they should never be fed macadamia nuts or any food containing them.

Raw and roasted macadamia nuts contain a toxin. Even only six pieces of macadamia nuts can make your dog sick. The toxin will affect their muscles and nervous system, causing weakness, panting, and swollen limbs.

Dogs who ingest macadamia nuts will also throw up repeatedly and have elevated body temperatures.

If you want to start giving your pet grain-free dog food, check the label for any nut ingredients to be on the safe side.

8. Raw and undercooked meat

Raw and undercooked meat contains Salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and other bacteria that can make humans and canines sick. Make sure you feed your pet well-cooked pork, beef, chicken, and eggs if you feed them produce.

Additionally, don’t feed your dog fat trimmings since doing so can cause them to develop pancreatitis.

Avoid giving your pet cooked and uncooked bones as well. These are choking hazards and may injure their mouth, teeth, and tongue. Even if they can chew these, the shards may cause intestinal blockage or perforation.  

If you want to feed your pet more protein, opt for dog food made with natural, locally sourced meat ingredients, such as the products of Harringtons.

9. Salt and salty foods

Large amounts of salt can be toxic to dogs. Although you can let your pet eat a potato chip now and then, giving them salty crisps and other snacks often can cause excessive thirst and urination, vomiting, diarrhoea, and a loss of appetite and energy.

Bring your pet to their vet immediately if you notice these symptoms and suspect they ingested salt.

Canines with hypertension and heart or kidney disease are more sensitive to salt. If your pet has these conditions, check the label of their dry and wet dog food to ensure it doesn’t contain high levels of sodium.  

10. Yeast dough

If you’re making yeast dough, ensure your dog can’t get a bite of the uncooked dough since it can cause a lot of problems for your pet.

When a dog accidentally eats raw dough, it will rise and ferment in their stomach. This can lead to bloating and cause the stomach to twist, which is very painful and requires immediate treatment.

While in the stomach, the yeast also ferments carbohydrates in the raw dough. This produces ethanol, which can cause alcohol poisoning, another serious medical condition for canines.

Knowing which foods you should never give your dog is just as important as choosing the products that are good for them. Keep this list in mind to ensure your pet’s health, happiness, and long life.

Read our article on dog nutrition to get more tips on feeding your canine friend.