(Human) Food Do's and Dont's for Dogs - A Reminder

Here is a quick refresher on some human food items toxic to dogs and some that are actually good for them. Especially at this time of year with food lying around and perhaps more readily available than usual, and with the possibility that other people will be in and out of your home and may not be as attentive, or you yourself are distracted, better safe than sorry. I hope this is old news for most people, but in case it's not:

AVOID AVOID AVOID:
--Chocolate
--Onions (and, according to SOME things I've read, the entire onion family)
--Raisins (and grapes but raisins are more concentrated so they are worse)
--Most nuts should be avoided as they are not well digested from what I have learned

Chocolate is bad news for dogs as it contains compounds that can be highly toxic. Plus virtually every household has it lying around and it's such a common gift item, you really can't avoid it. Some dogs seem able to tolerate it better than others--the problem is you don't know until your dog eats it if yours is one that seems to suffer no ill effects or one that reacts badly.

The darker or more intensely flavored, the worse it is, with home baking chocolate being particularly dangerous. Remember that dogs will sniff out wrapped chocolate candy in a flash and may scarf it down before you even know they got to it, sometimes wrapper and all. Keep all chocolate totally out of reach. You just can't underestimate the hound nose and drive for food!

If your dog does ingest chocolate despite your best efforts, if the amount seems small relative to your dog's size, keep an eye on her, watching for signs of unusual excitability or any behavior that is not normal for your dog. Be sure she has quick access to getting outside in case she needs to "let it go" on her own. It might give her diarrhea or it could come back up.

If the amount is large or you're not sure or are just panic-stricken, contact your vet's emergency number. Before calling, make note of the type of chocolate she ate and the ingredient list if available, the amount she ate in ounces and how long ago it was eaten, and know your dog's weight so you can provide as much of this information as possible.

Depending on the amount and timeline, you may be advised to make your dog purge by forcing a small amount of hydrogen peroxide down her throat. Follow instructions and don't overdo it; BE PREPARED, this can work VERY quickly! Do it outside if possible, or be right by the door. It may take a while for the vomiting to stop, then the diarrhea may set in. Ahhh, what great entertainment. Of course this will most likely occur late at night or in the morning when you're already late for work or otherwise in a hurry to get somewhere. :)

One of our 25 pound beagles ate a fairly large amount of homemade, solid-chocolate candy once and she was fine. We made her throw it up right away after calling our vet's emergency line, and it was a sleepless night while we stressed out watching to see if she showed any signs of trouble, which she did not. WHEW. She has gotten into sealed bags of candy a time or two as well, but only got one or two pieces before we noticed. She is very clever and can get into things we'd never expect her to if she really focuses!

As for onions and raisins and their respective relatives, they too contain potentially harmful compounds. Luckily, most dogs are not as drawn to either, particularly onions, and few of us have raisins just lying around in bowl or bags. Nor is either a common gift item in my experience!

GOOD STUFF

--Sweet potatoes (see recipe in next post)

--Apples

--Carrots (raw if they'll put up with the chewing, gently cooked to soften if not)

--Berries (I've read recently that raspberries and blueberries are particularly good)


These items can be used as treats or added to regular food, cooked or raw.