Toxic Foods and Your Pets

Happy National Junk Food Day!

As we begin our new Kaibab Animal Hospital Blog, it seems fitting that today is National Junk Food Day, especially in light of the delicious snacks and goodies that many clients tend to drop by as a 'thank you' (and we really appreciate all of these!).  Though there are many snacks that we should not be eating (and that hasn't seemed to stop us here yet), there are a lot of common foods that we eat that can be harmful to your pets!

So, let's look at some of these common foods that we need to make sure our dogs and cats don't share with us:
Candy/Chocolate -

Though many of us have a sweet tooth and enjoy a piece of candy or a chunk of a chocolate bar here and there, this is something that our pets just can not have.  Chocolate, as many of us heard, is very bad for your pets and the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is.  Make sure that when you enjoy this snack, your furry family member doesn't!
Similar to chocolate, certain candies and chewing gums are toxic for dogs; specifically 'sugar free' items that use sugar substitutes.  A very common sugar substitute, xylitol, is good for people to help keep cavities away and strengthen the enamel of your teeth, but if your pet eats it, it can cause a significant and fatal decrease in blood sugar and throw them into liver failure!

Coffee -
Similar to chocolate, coffee contains caffeine which animals just don't tolerate well.  The same thing that can give us a little 'pick me up' during a long day can cause major problems in your pets including anxiety and severe changes in the way the heart is beating, otherwise known as an arrhythmia.  If your pet ends up enjoying your latte before you can or gets into the trash and eats those used coffee grounds, make sure you call us or your closest emergency facility immediately!

Grapes/Raisins -

These are a healthy and nutritious snack for us to have, but just eating a couple of them could throw your beloved pet into kidney failure.  It isn't known what the toxic compound is in grapes and raisins that does this and not every dog is going to develop kidney failure, but since we can't predict who will and who will not have an issue, it is best to avoid these altogether.

Macadamia Nuts -
The nuts are a great snack and many people enjoy eating a handful.  However, your dog will not enjoy the after effects of eating them.  Though it is unlikely to be fatal, ingestion of macadamia nuts can cause muscle weakness, pain, and tremors in dogs.  Signs tend to last no more than 48 hours, but support during that time can include hospitalization with IV fluids and pain medications.

Onions/Garlic -

Most people don't eat onions and garlic as a snack alone, but these are used in many different recipes that we enjoy.  When an animal eats onions and garlic, they can get changes in the shape to their red blood cells that can lead to weakness and other signs.  In severe cases, hospitalization and blood transfusions can even be needed!  Usually your pet won't show immediate signs, but a few days after ingestion is when the problems can occur.

Alcoholic Beverages -
Though this is not typically a 'junk food,' alcohol is something that many people enjoy.  Though alcohol should always be consumed safely and in moderation in people (as it can cause enough health problems for us), it is something that you definitely do not want your pet to ingest.  Pets are much more sensitive to the effects of alcohol and can show the same signs that a drunk person does, up to and including alcohol poisoning!  Not only can this happen from drinking alcoholic beverages, but this can also happen from a pet eating raw bread dough!  The yeast in bread produce alcoholic byproducts just like the yeast in beer or other fermented beverages can.  So, keep your pets away from the liquor and, if  you like to make your own bread, make sure they can't get at that rising dough either!

This is just a short list of the various toxic things your pets can get into.  If you have any other questions, be sure to call us at 480-947-8113 or visit our webpage at www.KaibabAnimalHospital.com.