What tastes good to you may kill your pet

There is nothing more delicious than chocolate, but the chemical theobromine that makes chocolate taste so good is lethal to dogs and cats. Even the smallest amount of chocolate can result in hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heartbeats, seizures and death. Baking chocolate, cocca powder and dark chocolate are the most lethal forms of chocolate as they contain more theobromine than milk chocolate. If your pet does eat some chocolate, get them to the vet as soon as possible.

Other foods that taste great to us, but are lethal to our pets are;

Onions

Onions cause hemolytic anemia, which means that the red blood cells break down leaving the dog short of oxygen. Onion poisoning can occur with a single ingestion of large quantities or with repeated meals containing small amounts of onion. The poisoning may occur a few days after the dog has eaten onions. Pets affected by onion poisoning show gastroenteritis with vomiting and diarrhea, weakness and show little or no interest in food. They will then experience shortness of breath because the red blood cells that carry oxygen through the body are reduced in number. Other symptoms are elevated body temperature, confusion, and increased heart rate. Seek veterinary care immediately.

Grapes or Raisins
Although the minimum lethal dosage is not known, grapes and raisins can be toxic to dogs and cats when ingested in large quantities. The symptoms are gastrointestinal signs including vomiting and diarrhea, and then signs of kidney failure starting about 24 hours after ingestion.

Corn Cobs
Many pets have suffered and, in some cases, died after eating corn-on-the-cob, because the corn cob caused a partial or complete intestinal obstruction. Never allow your pet access to corn cobs.

Caffeine
Beverages with caffeine like soft drinks, tea and coffee act as a stimulant and can accelerate your pet’s heartbeat to a dangerous level. Pets ingesting caffeine have been known to have seizures, which can be fatal.

Tobacco Products
Cigarettes and cigarette butts, cigars, pipe tobacco, nicotine patches, nicotine gum and chewing tobacco can be fatal to pets if ingested. Signs of nicotine poisoning can appear within an hour and include hyperactivity, salivation, panting, vomiting and diarrhea. Advanced signs include muscle weakness, twitching, collapse, coma, increased heart rate and cardiac arrest.

Alcohol
Do not give your pet sips of any alcoholic beverage. Ingestion can lead to injury, disorientation, sickness, urination problems or even coma or death from alcohol poisoning.

Bones
Cooked bones can be very hazardous for your pet. Bones become brittle when cooked which causes them to splinter. The splinters have sharp edges that have been known to become stuck in the teeth, caused choking when caught in the throat or caused a rupture or puncture of the stomach lining or intestinal tract. However, raw meaty bones are extremely good for your pet and act as a toothbrush getting rid of built up plaque. You should always monitor your pet when they are eating raw bones to ensure they that don’t swallow large pieces of bone which could cause obstruction of the bowel.

If you are unsure of whether a food may cause problems, then do not give it to your pet. There are many treats that are safe for both dogs and cats available at your local pet store, vet clinic and supermarket and only these plus their regular food should be given.