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Pet Medication Home -> Things You should never feed your Dog
Things You should never feed your Dog
by A.M. Wilmont
Unfortunately, there are a number of
household items which we tend to take for granted that are potentially
very dangerous to your dog's health.
It is especially important to be aware
of this because as you know, dogs are essentially scavengers and
will often eat just about anything they can sink their fangs into.
I would say that may own dog is more like a mobile garbage disposal.
It is also very important to be aware of these items since their
sense of smell is so well developed that your pooch will be able
to find what you may think is well hidden.
One of these dangerous household items,
it turns out, is simple chocolate. While chocolate has been reported
recently to be high in human-friendly antioxidants, it appears to
be potentially lethal for our pets, and particularly for our dogs.
Cats are mostly unaffected since they do not care for the taste
of chocolate, but dogs tend to be crazy about it. Certain breeds
of dogs react indifferently to chocolate. The root of the problem
is that chocolate contains various chemicals which are called methylxanthine
alkaloids(sometypes have more of these chemicals than others).
Sadly, relatively miniscule amounts of
these chemicals are capable of causing such serious problems as
constriction of the arteries and an increased heart rate. Large
amounts may cause even more dire symptoms and a pound of milk chocolate
could possibly kill a sixteen pound dog.
If you find that your dog has eaten chocolate
then by all means take note of the it's type and try to estimate
the amount eaten. Then get on the phone with a veternarian or an
emergency facility. Be sure that your children know how important
it is to keep chocolate out of your dog’s reach.
If you are not aware that your dog has
consumed chocolate, the consequences could be severe. If consumption
is not found within 4 to 6 hours without the right treatment, cardiac
failure, seizures, coma and death could result, according to veternarian
Dr. Jane Bicks.
In addition to seemingly innocent chocolate,
there are a number of other common household items that may seem
safe for our dogs but that can be downright dangerous.
Some mushrooms, for example, can produce
abdominal pain, liver andd kidney damage and amenia. So be aware
of wild mushrooms when you are out walking your dog in wooded areas.
Garlic may seem benign but can cause vomiting, liver damage, anemia
and diarrhea so do not give your pet baby food since it can contain
garlic.
Anti-freeze can shut down your dog's
kidney and they tend to love the taste. Miseletoe can cause vomiting,
abdominal pain and depression. Onions can cause liver damage, anemia
and diarrhea. Onion can also sometimes be found in baby food. Cats
are actually somewhat more sensitive to this one so keep out of
the reach of both.
Coffee, like cocoa, is especially dangerous,
and may cause heart rate increase, diarrhea, seizures, coma, death.
Caffeine just does not have the same effect in dogs.
When outside be careful around apple
and cherry trees. While the fruit is safe, the leaves and roots
are not.
And be very careful about Moth Balls.
Its primary chemical naphthalene is extremely toxic to dogs and
can result in tremors and seizures.
Concerning dog food, you should be looking
for dyes and other chemicals, according to Dr. Jane. BHA, for instance,
which is one of the main synthetic antioxidant preservatives used
to prevent food discoloration, has been observed to cause cancer
in laboratory
rats at certain doses. Small doses are as yet unclear but since
dog food is eaten every day caution is advised.
Many conventional dog food brands have
large quantities of sodium to make them palatable, and this can
be quite harmful to a dog.
Other ingredients to wary of are dairy,
by-products, chemical preservatives and artificial colors. For more
information go to Dog
Food Nutrition from Life's Abundance
About the Author
Aaron Wilmont is an author and researcher in the fields of human
and pet health. For more info. go to Dog
Supplements and Vitamins from Life's Abundance
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