Human Food Safety for Dogs: What Foods to Avoid

When it comes to treating our best friends, it can be hard to say no to those puppy-dog eyes staring up at you from beside the dinner table. However, there are certain human foods that are incredibly toxic for your dogs and Kirrawee Vet Hospital is here to help you out! What human food is good for dogs and what foods can dogs not eat, is all found here! If you’re still unsure, feel free to get in touch today.

Top 10 Toxic Foods for Dogs

So, what foods can dogs not eat? Well, here is a handy list of the top 10 toxic foods for dogs!

1. Alcohol
   Alcohol has the same effect on a dog’s liver and brain that it has on yours, but it can do big damage to a dog in much smaller quantities.

2. Onions or Garlic
   Both onion and garlic (in all forms) contain a substance that can damage or destroy a dog’s red blood cells, potentially leading to anaemia.

3. Caffeine
   Coffee can cause irreparable damage and even caffeine poisoning if consumed in large enough quantities. This risk extends to tea, energy drinks, soda, cocoa and even some painkillers.

4. Grapes and Raisins
   These snacks can cause vomiting, lethargy, and ultimately kidney failure in dogs.

5. Macadamia Nuts
   Toxicoses depends on the size of the dog but consumption of as little as 2.4 grams of macadamia nuts can cause clinical signs of poisoning.

6. Candy, Gum, Toothpaste
   Xylitol is found in all of these, and it causes a sudden increase in insulin circulation that can result in a severe drop in blood sugar and even liver failure.

7. Chocolate
   What makes chocolate toxic to dogs is a substance called theobromine, which can cause abnormal heartbeats, tremors, seizure, and death. 

8. Fat Trimmings and Bones
   Both cooked and uncooked fat trimmings can cause pancreatitis in dogs. Bones can be choking hazards and can also splinter and puncture a dog’s throat or digestive tract if given the wrong type of bones.

9. Yeast Dough
   If your dog ingests dough when it’s still raw, it will rise inside the stomach and cause swelling and severe pain. 

10. Fruit Pits or Seeds
    Pits and seeds can obstruct a dog’s digestive tract, so always exercise caution when sharing peach slices or watermelon chunks.

What Human Food Can Dogs Eat?

So, what human food is good for dogs and what can you feed your dog instead of dog food? These include carrots, apples, white rice, dairy products, fish, chicken, peanut butter, plain popcorn, pork, turkey, blueberries, bananas, beans, cucumbers and watermelon.

Now that we have learnt why you shouldn’t feed your dog human food, you can continue treating your best friend under the table to a cheeky snack every now and then. If you’re unsure or if your pooch accidentally ingested something harmful, give us a call at Kirrawee Vet Hospital immediately.