Unhealthy Foods for our Pets
Many non-edible and edible things may exist in or around your home and can put our pets in danger.
Unhealthy Foods for our Pets
We have all set up our homes to keep young children secure, but what about our house pets? Same as for kids, many non-edible and edible things may exist in or around your home and can put our pets in danger. Knowing about these dangers can assist us in making our home a safer environment for our pets.
Many pet owners become so close with their pets they almost seem human. For the most part, this is harmless. But, some food and drink items that we consider tasty treats may be dangerous for our pets. For example, several fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, condiments, additives, and drugs are toxic to domestic pets. Some harm only dogs, others only cats, and several are poisonous to both. If the animal ingests anything from the list below, even if there are no symptoms, the pet owner should contact their veterinarian right away. Furthermore, if the owner can estimate how much of the product the animal has consumed, that would be helpful. We may have overlooked some products in the tables below. If the owner has any questions regarding a product that isn’t listed in the table, they should consult their veterinarian for more information.
DOGS
| Food/Drinks | Comments |
|
Alcohol |
The effects of alcohol on a pet will be like that of a person. They may become lethargic, dizzy and even go to sleep. Can lead to hospitalization. |
|
Caffeinated beverage |
Caffeine is toxic to dogs |
|
Candy and Chewing Gum |
Best not to give, may contain chocolate and/or xylitol both of which are toxic |
|
Cat food |
Cat food tends to be high in fat, calories and protein which means it’s not ideal for dogs. |
|
Chocolate |
Chocolate is poisonous to dogs mostly because of its theobromine content, which dogs are unable to metabolize effectively |
|
Coffee |
Caffeine is toxic to dogs |
|
Fat trimmings from steak and pork |
Too much fat causes pancreatitis in dogs |
|
Human Vitamins and Supplements |
Never give them human products like this. Discuss with your vet if you think your dog needs supplements |
|
Liver |
Liver is safe and full of vitamins but limit to 5% of their daily intake |
|
Marijuana |
No, even the smoke can harm them |
|
Milk and dairy products |
Many dogs are lactose intolerant so best not to introduce any products containing cow’s milk. Goat’s milk is OK for them. For very young puppies with no lactating mother, please use only puppy formula obtainable from a vet clinic |
|
Moldy or Spoiled food |
Can be toxic and cause vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, and seizures |
|
Popcorn |
In small quantities as a treat, it is OK as long as it is plain popcorn |
|
Raw Eggs |
No due to risk of salmonella |
|
Raw fish |
No due to risk of salmonella & parasites |
|
Sugar |
Dogs need sugar but not in granulated form. Natural sugar from fruits is fine but exclude the fruits in the table below |
|
Salt |
Not recommended |
|
Tea |
Caffeine is toxic to dogs |
|
Tobacco |
Leads to low heart and respiratory rates |
|
Tuna |
In very small amounts & not daily it is OK. But can result in mercury poisoning if they consume it daily |
|
Xylitol |
Extremely toxic, it is an artificial sweetener found in many human products including toothpaste |
|
Yeast or unbaked dough |
Extremely toxic |
|
Undercooked meat |
No due to risk of salmonella and other issues |
| Fruit | Comments |
| Apples | A healthy treat for your dog but the seeds contain cyanide so make sure these are removed |
| Apricot | A healthy treat for your dog but the pit contain cyanide so make sure it is removed |
| Avocado | Contain a toxin called persin which is toxic to dogs. Can cause vomiting and diarrhea. It can also lead to pancreatitis. |
| Cherries | The pits, stems & leaves contain cyanide but safe if these are removed |
| Coconut | Coconut water contains high levels of potassium and should not be given to your dog. The flesh is OK in small quantities |
| Grapes and raisins | Extremely toxic for dogs and can cause severe abdominal pain and result in acute kidney failure. |
| Peach | Peach pits contain cyanide and should not be given but small amounts of the flesh as a treat are OK |
| Persimmon | Seeds and pit of this fruit are dangerous to dogs. The flesh in small quantities is OK |
| Plum | The pits contain cyanide but the flesh in small quantities is OK |
| Vegetables & Herbs | Comments |
| Broccoli | The florets contain isothiocyanate which can irritate of the digestive system. The stems are fine for your dog, and the florets can be given in small quantities. Can be raw or cooked. |
| Chives | Poisonous if consumed in large quantities |
| Corn | Corn off a cob is not easily digestible but in small quantities is OK. |
| Garlic | Poisonous if consumed in large quantities |
| Green Tomatoes | Green tomatoes can be toxic. Ripe tomatoes are generally considered safe. |
| Leeks | Poisonous if consumed in large quantities |
| Mushrooms | Dogs can eat any mushrooms that humans can as long as they are raw or plainly cooked. Beware of mushrooms in the wild |
| Onions | Poisonous if consumed in large quantities |
| Raw Dried Beans | Cooked beans can be good for your dog, raw beans can be virtually indigestible. |
| Nuts & Seeds | Comments |
| Almonds | Difficult to digest |
| Hickory Nuts | High in fat so not advisable |
| Macadamia nuts | Toxic for dogs |
| Pecans | High in fat so not advisable |
| Pistachios | High in fat so not advisable |
| Walnuts | High in fat so not advisable |
CATS
| Food/Drinks | Comments |
|
Alcohol |
The effects of alcohol on a cat will be like that of a person. They may become lethargic, dizzy and even go to sleep. Can lead to hospitalization. |
|
Caffeinated beverage |
Caffeine is toxic to cats |
|
Chocolate |
Chocolate is poisonous to cats mostly because of its theobromine content, which cats are unable to metabolize effectively |
|
Coffee |
Caffeine is toxic to cats |
|
Coffee |
Caffeine is toxic to cats |
|
Dog food |
Dog food lacks enough vitamin A and taurine, two nutrients cats need to live healthy lives. It won’t harm them but they should be eating cat food |
|
Fat trimmings & bones |
Both fat and bones may be dangerous for cats. Fat, both cooked and uncooked, can cause intestinal upset, with vomiting and diarrhea. |
|
Human Vitamins and Supplements |
Never give them human products like this. Discuss with your vet if you think your cat needs supplements |
|
Marijuana |
No, even the smoke can harm them |
|
Milk and dairy products |
Many cats are lactose intolerant so best not to introduce any products made from cow’s milk. Goat’s milk is OK. For tiny kittens where there is no lactating mother, use only kitten formula available from a vet clinic |
|
Moldy or Spoiled food |
Can be toxic and cause vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, and seizures |
|
Popcorn |
In small quantities as a treat, it is OK as long as it is plain popcorn |
|
Raw Eggs |
No due to risk of salmonella |
|
Raw fish |
No due to risk of salmonella & parasites |
|
Sugar |
Cats need sugar but not in granulated form. Natural sugar from fruits is fine but exclude the fruits in the table below |
|
Salt |
Not recommended |
|
Tea |
Caffeine is toxic to cats |
|
Tobacco |
Leads to low heart and respiratory rates |
|
Tuna |
Human grade tuna in very small amounts & not daily it is OK but it lacks nutrients required by cats so best to use tuna cat food. But still can result in mercury poisoning if they consume it daily |
|
Xylitol |
Extremely toxic, it is an artificial sweetener found in many human products including toothpaste |
|
Yeast or unbaked dough |
Extremely toxic |
| Fruit | Comments |
| Apples | A healthy treat for your cat but the seeds contain cyanide so make sure these are removed |
| Apricot | A healthy treat for your cat but the pit contain cyanide so make sure it is removed |
| Avocado | Contain a toxin called persin which is toxic to cats. Can cause vomiting and diarrhea. It can also lead to pancreatitis. |
| Cherries | The pits, stems & leaves contain cyanide but safe if these are removed |
| Coconut | Coconut water contains high levels of potassium and should not be given to your cat. The flesh is OK in small quantities |
| Grapes and raisins | Extremely toxic for cats and can cause severe abdominal pain and result in acute kidney failure. |
| Peach | Peach pits contain cyanide and should not be given but small amounts of the flesh as a treat are OK |
| Persimmon | Seeds and pit of this fruit are dangerous to dogs. The flesh in small quantities is OK |
| Plum | The pits contain cyanide but the flesh in small quantities is OK |
| Vegetables & Herbs | Comments |
| Broccoli | The florets contain isothiocyanate which can irritate of the digestive system. The stems are fine for your cat, and the florets can be given in small quantities. Can be raw or cooked. |
| Chives | Poisonous if consumed in large quantities |
| Corn | Corn off a cob is not easily digestible but in small quantities is OK. |
| Garlic | Poisonous if consumed in large quantities |
| Mushrooms | Cats can eat any mushrooms that humans can as long as they are raw or plainly cooked. Beware of mushrooms in the wild |
| Onions | Poisonous if consumed in large quantities |
| Raw Potatoes | Raw potatoes contain solanine which is very poisonous to cats. |
| Tomatoes | Green or red, they are poisonous to cats |
| Spinach | Spinach is high in vitamins and should not be given to cats if they have kidney and urinary problem. |
| Nuts & Seeds | Comments |
| Almonds | Difficult to digest |
| Hickory Nuts | High in fat so not advisable |
| Macadamia nuts | Toxic for cats |
| Pecans | High in fat so not advisable |
| Pistachios | High in fat so not advisable |