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Keep your pet healthy by avoiding these common
household goodies.
- Chocolate: Chocolate contains a toxic substance called
theobromine, which is a stimulant very similar to caffeine and
affects the heart. Consumed in significant quantities, chocolate
will cause vomiting, rapid and sometimes irregular heartbeats,
muscle tremors, and even death. If you suspect that your dog has
consumed chocolate and he or she is showing signs of heavy panting,
vomiting, agitation, muscle tremors, hyperactivity or even extreme
lethargy, consult your veterinarian immediately!
- Fatty Foods: Some of the more fatty foods often used as treats,
such as turkey skin, bacon, sausages, hot dogs or deep-fried foods
can cause a lot of gastric upset. In addition to the gastric upset,
the consumption of fatty foods can be quite dangerous to dogs
susceptible to attacks of pancreatitis. Signs can include vomiting
(sometimes accompanied with diarrhea) and abdominal pain. Sickness
usually comes very quickly and requires fast veterinary
intervention.
- Dairy Products: While dairy products do not pose a life or death
situation in dogs, there are good reasons to avoid feeding them.
Dogs lack (or have very little of) the enzyme required to digest the
lactose in milk and dairy products. It is recommended that you avoid
most dairy products, although most dog's digestive system can
tolerate small amounts of cheese or plain yogurt - the reason being
is that these products tend to have less lactose than other dairy
products.
- Onions: A great majority of dog owners don't realize that onions
can be toxic to dogs and cats (especially cats) when consumed in
large quantities. Large amounts cause a change in the red blood
cells so they cannot perform their usual function of carrying
oxygen. The change causes a structural cell defect to happen that
makes the body think the cells are defective and removes them from
circulation. This removal results in anemia.
- Alcohol: While alcohol is not very toxic to dogs, we decided to
include it on the list because a dog has very low tolerance to the
effects of alcohol. Using comparative body weight, a dog will get
"drunk" on a lot less alcohol than a human of the same weight. We
recommend caution when consuming alcoholic beverages around pets -
especially when some alcoholic drinks smell and taste very good to
dogs.
- Bones: Whoever thought giving a bone to a dog could pose a
health risk? Well, turkey, chicken, pork, and beef rib or steak
bones are the worst kind you could ever give your trusted friend.
The reason being is that these bones can be easily chewed up into
sharp splinters which can lodge in your dog's digestive tract and
can cause lacerations, obstructions or even perforations. The only
recommended bone that is safe for dogs to chew on is a beef shin
bone - preferably the kind that is commercially processed and have
been sterilized and had the marrow removed.
- Rawhide Chews: What? No rawhides? These treats tend to be very
popular for many dogs and owners simply because they keep their pets
occupied. Rawhide chews, whether compressed or non-compressed, can
become lodged in the throat and cause choking. In addition, a
large semi-soft piece may be swallowed and scrape and irritate the
throat and esophagus on the way down. There is even a greater risk
once the large piece reaches the stomach or intestinal tract. Large
undigested pieces of rawhide can and will create a physical
obstruction in either the stomach or the intestinal tract. The
obstruction does not allow for digested matter to move through your
dog's system, and your dog will become very ill in a short period of
time. Once your dog has an obstruction, medical intervention is
more often than not necessary for removal. And, speaking from
experience, not feeding your dog rawhide chews is a lot less
expensive than an emergency visit to the vet!
- Cow Hooves: Avoid giving your dog cow hooves too since they can
be even more dangerous than rawhides. Health risks include: they are
so hard that a dog can actually break a tooth and they can be chewed
up into extremely sharp fragments which could cause a partial
intestinal obstruction. A partial obstructions in a dog is sometimes
difficult to accurately diagnose until the fragment is either ready
or has already perforated the wall of the bowel from abdominal
pressure. Once perforation has occurred, an often-times fatal
infection follows caused by the leaking intestinal contents.
- Pig's Ears: While pigs' ears will cause GI upset in dogs if
overeaten, and obstructions are less common because the ears are
thinner and not usually shaped into solid chunks, there is a less
known threat they pose. A recent FDA advisory published by the U.S.
Dept. of Health and Human services on Oct.1, 1999, stated that there
is "a nationwide public health warning alerting consumers about a
number of recent cases in Canada of human illnesses apparently
related to contact with dog chew products made from pork or
beef-derived materials (e.g., pigs ears, beef jerky treats, smoked
hooves, pigs skins, etc.)... FDA is urging pet owners... to handle
them carefully. Anyone who comes in contact with these treats should
wash their hands with hot water and soap. Initial reports of
illnesses came from Canada and involved Canadian products, but
subsequent examination of similar products produced in the U.S.
indicate that all pet chew products of this type may pose a
risk...."
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