Human Food that's Deadly for Pets

By Linda Cole

If you want a pet to pay attention to you, make yourself something to eat. Some pet owners don't think twice about tossing their dog or cat a bite of human food, but giving them the wrong food can be deadly for them. With Christmas and New Year's comes extra food sitting around for pets to discover when no one's watching.

As responsible pet owners, I’m sure most of you know that some human food can be extremely dangerous for your pets. However, it's always worth putting out a reminder when holiday plans and family gatherings can take our attention away from our pets. This list is by no means a complete list of human food pets shouldn't eat. Keep your pet safe by making sure they don't have access to food sitting out that's meant for company, and make sure guests don't toss your begging pet a “treat.”


Grapes and raisins are healthy snacks for us, and many homes have fruit bowls set out over the holidays for family and guests. Raisins are in cookies, fresh salads and in other recipes. Grapes and raisins are not a healthy food for pets, however, and just a few can cause their kidneys to fail. It's not known why pets can't handle these foods, but what scientists do know is that grapes and raisins contain an unknown toxin that can cause pets to become hyperactive and vomit. These symptoms are early signs that can indicate your pet needs immediate vet care.

Candy, commercial desserts and cookies containing Xylitol, a natural sweetener used in these products, can increase a pet's insulin causing their blood sugar to drop. If left untreated, liver failure is possible within two days.

Yeast dough. Inside a pet's stomach, raw yeast dough will continue to rise because of the heat and moisture. It ferments in their gastrointestinal tract and causes their abdomen to swell. As the yeast rises, it turns into alcohol which can then cause a pet to suffer from alcohol poisoning.

Turkey skin, fat trimmings and cooked bones should be avoided completely. Fat trimmings and turkey skin should never be given to pets raw or cooked because the fat can cause pancreatitis. Bloody stools, vomit, diarrhea or dehydration are symptoms to watch out for. Cooked bones can splinter easily as pets chew on them and lacerate the digestive system or get caught in their throat or mouth.

Raw eggs can destroy an essential B vitamin called thiamine. An absence of vitamin B can cause neurological problems and skin conditions. Raw eggs can also contain salmonella and e-coli that can cause severe health concerns for pets.

Chocolate toxicity increases over the holidays. The treats and desserts that give us comfort and joy can cause an abnormal heart rate in pets. Too much chocolate can give them tremors and seizures. How much chocolate is too much? It depends on the size of your pet, their health and age, and if it's dark or white chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the deadlier it is for pets. Read Chocolate Toxicity in Pets for more information.

Nutmeg and salt. Nutmeg causes seizures and tremors, and can cause pets to hallucinate. How and why it does is still a mystery. A pet that has gotten into a bag of potato chips or pretzels can be at risk for sodium ion poisoning, and it can be fatal.

Macadamia nuts and walnuts can cause bladder stones because they are high in phosphorous. These innocent nuts can also cause muscle tremors, increased heart rate and paralysis or weakness in a pet's hindquarters.

Alcohol poisoning in pets is common and increases over the holidays with more drinks sitting around for them to find. Depending on the size of the pet, even a small amount can be deadly for them. Giving a pet a drink of any alcoholic beverage is not funny or cute. It's dangerous and can put a pet into a coma and cause death. For more information, read Alcohol Poisoning in Dogs.

People who say their pet was fine after eating chocolate or a few grapes, and continue to feed them foods that pets shouldn’t eat, are playing Russian roulette with their pet's health. So much of our food contains hidden ingredients we don't think about. Read labels carefully before sharing anything with your pet. Your best bet is to feed them their regular CANIDAE or FELIDAE food before holiday gatherings, and keep a watchful eye on them during the festivities. Also, please remember to keep pets out of the trash can. Moldy food and coffee grounds are also human foods pets shouldn't eat and once they're in the trash, we forget about them. Emergency phone numbers should include your veterinarian and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, 1-888-426-4435.

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Foods Dogs Should Never Eat: a Holiday Reminder

By Linda Cole

The holiday season is an exciting time of year. We're preoccupied with Thanksgiving and Christmas preparations, and may not be paying close attention to what our pets are up to. However, the spilled raisins on the floor or the bowl of candy sitting on the coffee table could harm them. It never hurts to have a reminder about foods dogs should never eat, especially during the holiday season when more food is available and easy for canines to find.

Recently, CANIDAE received an email regarding a pet owner whose dog ate half a canister of raisins and became very sick. The owner didn't know raisins were toxic to dogs, and wanted to share his story so other pet owners would be aware of it. I have written about dangerous foods for dogs here before, but with the holiday season fast approaching, now is a good time to revisit the topic.

Raisins and grapes are favorites during the holidays in cookies, salads or by the handful, yet they can be deadly for dogs. Scientists have no idea why, but raisins and grapes can cause kidney failure quickly in dogs. Both contain an unknown toxin and just a few can cause your dog to vomit and become hyperactive, which are early signs. Within 24 hours, they will become lethargic and depressed.

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can cause abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and death. Even though most people know never to give their pets chocolate, the holiday season sees an increase in pets that have been poisoned by chocolate every year.

Candy and gum are foods dogs should not eat, especially those containing Xylitol. This “natural” low calorie sugar substitute is made from Birch tree bark, and can also be found in sugar-free baked goods, mints, toothpaste, kids vitamins and diet foods. Many people are not aware of the dangers of Xylitol to pets, because vets have only recently discovered its toxicity in dogs. It takes very little to increase insulin in the dog's system which leads to a drop in blood sugar and liver failure.

Because Xylitol is present in so many products, we may not realize that what our dog just ate could be lethal. It's important to read labels to determine if Xylitol is present in the cupcakes or cookies you left on the kitchen counter. Vets are anxious to get the warning out to pet owners about the dangers of Xylitol to dogs. Please pass the information along to your friends and family, and keep all products with Xylitol safely stored in cabinets and away from inquiring canine noses.

Nutmeg is a spice often included in homemade recipes for dog food and treats, but is considered a food dogs should never eat. Nutmeg is known to cause seizures and tremors in dogs. It can cause dogs who eat large amounts to hallucinate.

Salt and other spices are ingredients dogs don't need. Too much salt can produce sodium ion poisoning and can be fatal. Salty snacks should be avoided along with most spices.

Macadamia nuts and walnuts cause muscle tremors, rapid heart rate, weakness or paralysis in the hindquarters. Nuts in chocolate candy or cookies is double trouble. Nuts can also cause bladder stones, and just a few is all it takes for some dogs.

Onions and garlic can make your dog anemic by destroying red blood cells. A small amount may not hurt them, but if they eat large amounts or daily (whether cooked, raw, dehydrated or powdered) they risk becoming anemic. Garlic is not as toxic as onion, but it can build up over time and cause a toxic reaction if eaten daily. Cats should never have garlic.

Fat trimmings and cooked bones should not be given to your dog. Fat can cause pancreatitis, and cooked bones can splinter or become stuck in the dog's throat. Splintered bones can cause lacerations in the dog’s digestive tract.

Fruit pits and seeds, if swallowed whole, can obstruct the small intestines and cause painful inflammation for dogs. Peach, plum and cherry pits contain cyanide which is poisonous to us and dogs.

This is a small list of foods dogs should never eat. Most of these foods will be in kitchens, in fancy bowls on coffee tables or counters, and will be raw, baked or cooked this holiday season. Please make sure all guests, young and old, understand it's alright to pet the dog, but not to feed him or allow him to steal a “treat.” It only takes one bite of the wrong food to end a holiday celebration early with an emergency trip to the vet.

Add the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, (888)-426-4435, to your emergency phone list alongside your vet's. If you think your dog ate something they shouldn't have, call your vet or the ASPCA immediately. You can also see a comprehensive list of foods dogs should never eat at peteducation.com.

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Chocolate Toxicity in Pets: Symptoms & Precautions

By Linda Cole

Halloween is once again at our doorstep. Trick or treaters will begin tapping on doors to collect the goodies we have to offer. Among the caramel apples, popcorn balls and tasty treats of this spooky holiday will be chocolate candy bars, brownies or other special goodies made with chocolate. We devour tons of chocolate each year, but just a small amount can be deadly for our dogs and cats. Why is chocolate so toxic to pets?

Pets do have a sweet tooth. That's why outside pets are attracted to spilled antifreeze on someone's driveway and can become poisoned from licking even a small amount. Pets think they should be able to eat everything we eat. It's hard to ignore their begging, bright eyes asking for (or demanding) a bite of whatever we are eating. When it comes to chocolate, even one bite can leave them begging for more.

Once pets, especially dogs, have tasted chocolate, they will develop a craving for it. The best thing to do is just not give your pet chocolate, period. Not only is chocolate toxic for pets, it can be fatal if they eat too much, and chocolate poisoning is more common than you may think. The ASPCA Poison Control Center and vets across the country see a spike in calls from worried pet owners during holidays like Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

It's important for children to understand that sharing their Halloween chocolate treats with their dog or cat can make the pet extremely sick. A little chocolate won't hurt most dogs or cats; however, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Avoid any risk to your pet by not giving them any chocolate to begin with.

The amount of chocolate considered to be too much depends on the health, age, weight and size of your pet. The smaller the animal, the smaller amount of chocolate it takes to poison them. An older pet who is out of shape or has underlying illnesses could be affected by a very small amount of chocolate. It also depends on the type of chocolate; darker chocolate is more deadly. Dogs are more likely to be affected because they seem to be able to search and find chocolate better than cats, but cats can also be poisoned.

Theobromine is a natural stimulate found in the cocoa bean. This is what's poisonous to pets. It affects the central nervous system and heart muscles, and it also increases urination. Caffeine is also present in chocolate although not in high concentrations like Theobromine.

Chocolate toxicity in pets is a serious health issue. If you suspect your pet may have eaten too much chocolate, call your vet immediately. Symptoms of chocolate toxicity in pets will begin within 12 hours or less and include:

* Being excited, nervous, shaking, hyperactive

* Diarrhea or vomiting

* Drinking a lot of water or increased urination, which is caused by too much Theobromine in their system.

* Muscle spasms or seizures

Most of us have a variety of chocolate in the house for baking purposes or eating. Dry cocoa powder tops the list of chocolate that is most dangerous for our pets, followed by Bakers chocolate (unsweetened), cocoa bean mulch, semisweet chocolate chips, sweet dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate. When evaluating chocolate toxicity in pets, it's important to know what type of chocolate was ingested, and how much.

If your Siberian Husky or Lab eats a small chocolate candy bar, they will probably not be affected as long as they are healthy to begin with. A cat or Chihuahua grabbing a chocolate chip that fell on the floor should be fine, but when it comes to chocolate and pets, it best to just say no.

After the kids return home with their bags of Halloween goodies and everything is spread out on the table so you can survey their haul, please remember to make sure Halloween is safe for all members of your family. Chocolate is great in our tummies, but pets are better off with a healthy, chocolate-free snack made just for them.

My cats beg just as much as my dogs do, and it's hard to deny any of them a small bite of whatever I may be eating. For me, the choice is easy when it comes to chocolate. It's just not worth the risk. Besides, by not sharing, it leaves more for me!

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