We all know the feeling of walking into a home or restaurant with cooking that smells so good you can’t help but drool, just a little. While we humans may be able to control ourselves and refrain from begging for a taste, our canine pals don’t seem to have the same etiquette – after all their noses are anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 times as acute as ours (the jury is still out on the exact number).
This means that while the T-bone steak you’re eating in front of your dog smells delicious to you, it is absolutely mouth-watering to your dog. They give you the puppy dog eyes, maybe do a few tricks, and beg relentlessly for a taste. How can you resist? You’re almost done anyway. So you give them what’s left of the meat and the bone to chew on.
Trying to be nice and loving, you could have just caused serious harm to your dog.
While we know not to give dogs things like chocolate, grapes or raisins, there are a few human foods that can be extremely harmful to dogs that you may be unaware of. Here we are highlighting 7 seemingly innocent items that are actually quite dangerous for your pet.
- Apple Cores. While apples are great for your dog’s teeth, the core, namely the seeds, are toxic as they contain a chemical that releases cyanide when digested. Humans are much more tolerant to this than dogs are. This is only really an issue in large amounts, and if the seeds are chewed and enter the blood stream, but it is definitely something to be weary of; especially if going to an apple orchard or if your family are big apple eaters. If you do give your dog an apple, make sure the core is removed.
- Cooked Bones. While uncooked bones are beneficial for your dog’s nutritional health and teeth, cooked bones are weaker and can splinter easily which can lead to choking or the scraping of their intestines.
- Corn on the cob. While corn kernels in small amounts are okay, the cob can get lodged in a dog’s intestines and need to be removed surgically. If left untreated, this could be fatal.
- Fat trimmings. This is something I think many pet owners are guilty of. Fat trimmings seem so harmless and dogs are so incredibly happy to receive such a gift as the left over fat from your plate. However, as with all good things, moderation is key because too much fat can lead to pancreatitis.
- Onions.This includes cooking onions, red onions, shallots, chives, you name it; onions, no matter what breed or form (fresh, powder, cooked), are one of the absolute worst foods for dogs. They are poisonous to dogs, can cause anemia and damage red blood cells. Even mixed with other foods, onions need to be off limits.
- Rhubarb and tomato leaves. Gardeners beware! The leaves of rhubarb and tomato plants are toxic to dogs and can impact their digestive, nervous, and urinary systems. If you grow these in your yard, make sure your dog isn’t eating them or better yet, have them in an area that is inaccessible to your pet.
- Xylitol.This is a sugar alcohol that is found in numerous food products including candy and baked goods. While it poses no obvious harm to people, even small amounts can lead to low blood sugar, seizures, liver failure, and can even be fatal to your dog.
