New dog owners beware. There are some human foods that should never go into your dog's mouth, ever.
About 68% (84.6 million homes) according to a survey in 2018 have some kind of pet as family members. And yes. There are MANY families with dogs in the United States - about half of all homes!
But there are reasons to be worried about your dog raiding the pantry while you're away from home. There were almost 200,000 poisoning cases involving dogs who ate human foods in 2017 alone according to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
Information from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center highlights a few items from your pantry that can be dangerous for your dog.
Raw meat, bones, and eggs
Sure. Wild dogs have probably been gnawing on bones since the beginning of time, but your domesticated dog might have a hard time with them. Why? Some bones will break and shatter when chewed on which could cut up your dog's throat. Eggs and raw meat could contain harmful salmonella and E. coli.
Garlic, onions, chives
In high doses, your dog can have serious red blood cell damage and gastrointestinal issues if consumed. Luckily, small doses are usually ok.
Citrus fruits
Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, grapes, you get the idea. If your face puckers up from it being sour, there's a chance that fruit is one of these. As it turns out, your animal friend eating high amounts of citric acid from these fruits can cause their central nervous system to go haywire. Luckily, most dogs aren't really into this stuff, but just in case your dog likes to binge... keep them away. Like garlic, you should only be concerned if your animal eats a lot of this stuff. Low amounts are relatively safe.
Dairy
Yogurt, milk, ice cream for your dog? Forget it! Most dogs are lactose intolerant. Chances are you know someone in your life who has to deal with it as well. Lactose, the carbs in dairy products, don't break down as easily for anyone who is lactose intolerant. The symptoms are gas (of course), bloating, upset stomach, and diarrhea.
Avocados
Yes avocados! Especially you, Southern California! As it turns out, avocados contain persin, a toxin that can cause your dog (or small animal) to vomit. Persin is really concentrated in the skin of the fruit, seed, leaves, and an avocado tree's bark.
Yeast
If you're baking and your dog begs for a bite of that cookie dough, give it tough love and restrain from doing so. Raw yeast, the ingredient that causes things to rise or turns into alcohol, can cause your dog's intestines or stomach to explode and rupture. It's not so bad if the dough's been baked. So go ahead and share a bite of that sandwich with your dog.
Fat and greasy foods
Most mammals can use fat for energy. But if you give your animal (again) high amounts of Nuts (especially macadamia), bacon, fried foods, sausages, etc. in one sitting, they could vomit and suffer from an upset stomach. Too much of it over an extended amount of time could be harmful and even cause pancreatitis.
Salty foods
Most humans love salt in their foods. But as with anything in life, too much can be harmful to you. Dogs and their highly sensitive taste buds can be affected by eating too much of this stuff. Chips, steak, soy sauce, saltwater, you name it. Salt poisoning is a real thing and can damage your kidneys.
Candy
Xylitol, an ingredient in gum and candy can cause choking or even block food from going down their organs. Hard candies can damage your dog's teeth too.
Beer and alcohol
Dogs, and animals in general, can get drunk too. Actually, because they usually weigh less than their human counterparts, they are often more affected by the alcohol they get their paws on. Keep your dog away from the beer during parties will ya?
Caffeine, chocolate, coffee, soda
Caffeine is a stimulant, and like humans, dogs get really stimulated when they consume it. They can get heart attacks, high blood pressure, just like humans. If you're into composting your old coffee beans, make sure your dog stays out of the compost! Chocolate contains theobromine and is a methylxanthine, AKA a stimulant.
If you EVER see your dog having issues after eating any of the items on this list... contact ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center ASAP.
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