A while back a friend of mine phoned me saying her dog had just eaten some raw potatoes and was that ok? I had to stop and think because honestly I had no idea! after a frantic web search I discovered that Green Potatoes could be toxic so I called her back and advised her to contact her vet. The dog was fine as he vomited most of the potato up soon after eating them, but he could have been seriously ill or even lost his life. This is why I have decided to post this list of foods and plants which are toxic to our dogs. I’m sure there are others but this is the list I have for now.
Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic.After their pet has eaten a large quantity of chocolate, many pet owners assume their pet is unaffected. However, the signs of sickness may not be seen for several hours, with death following within twenty-four hours. Symptoms include Staggering, labored breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, tremors, fever, heart rate increase, arrhythmia, seizures, coma, death.
Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate are the most toxic forms. A 10-kilogram dog can be seriously affected if it eats a quarter of a 250gm packet of cocoa powder or half of a 250gm block of cooking chocolate. These forms of chocolate contain ten times more theobromine than milk chocolate. Thus, a chocolate mud cake could be a real health risk for a small dog. Even licking a substantial part of the chocolate icing from a cake can make a dog unwell.
Semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate are the next most dangerous forms, with milk chocolate being the least dangerous. A dog needs to eat more than a 250gm block of milk chocolate to be affected. Obviously, the smaller the dog, the less it needs to eat.
Mushroom toxicity does occur in dogs and it can be fatal if certain species of mushrooms are eaten. Amanita phalloides is the most commonly reported severely toxic species of mushroom in the US but other Amanita species are toxic. Symptoms include Abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting diarrhea, convulsions, coma, death.
Raisin or Grapes As few as a handful of raisins or grapes can make a dog ill; however, of the 10 cases reported to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), each dog ingested between 9 ounces and 2 pounds of grapes or raisins. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and lethargy.
Macadamia nuts are another concern, along with most other kinds of nuts. Their high phosphorus content is said to possibly lead to bladder stones. Dogs develop a tremor of the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters. Affected dogs are often unable to rise and are distressed, usually panting. Some affected dogs have swollen limbs and show pain when the limbs are manipulated.
Baby Food Can contain onion powder, which can be toxic to dogs. Can also result in nutritional deficiencies, if fed in large amounts.
Bones from Fish can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
Cat Food cat food is generally too high in protein and fats.
Trimmings from Fat can cause pancreatitis.
Milk and Dairy Some adult dogs and cats do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhea. Lactose-free milk products are available for pets.
Raw Fish can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to the loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. More common if raw fish is red regularly.
TOXIC PLANTS
As we let our dogs roam freely in and out of the house, we need to be aware of what we are exposing our pets to. There are various plants that are poisonous to dogs both inside and outside of our homes. Below is a chart of some of the more common plants our dogs may come in contact with.
PoinsettaThese plants are probably the most popular holiday plant and are easily recognizable by their large red, white, pink, or mottled leaves. These plants also contain a thick, milky irritant sap. In general, it would take ingestion of a large amount of this plant to see possible clinical signs in your pet. Signs could include vomiting, anorexia and depression. The symptoms are generally self-limiting and treatment is rarely needed. Your Vet may recommend limiting food and water intake for 1 or 2 hours if your pet is suspected of becoming sick after ingestion of poinsettias.
Easter Lilly Some members of the Lilly family of plants can result in serious illness in cats. Specifically, Easter Lilies, tiger lilies, Japanese show lilies, rubrum lilies, many lily hybrids and day lilies have been known to cause kidney failure.
Cocoa Mulch Some of use use this on our gardens. It is derived from the cocoa shells and can have the same effect as chocolate. To our dogs it smells like chocolate.
Ok thats it for now.. there are more and there are lots of fantastic websites with more complete lists. Don’t forget the Green Potatoes too!
