Toxins

Pantry toxins to avoid feeding your pet

December 8, 2015
dog eating chocolate

Our pantries are full of delicious food! What’s important to remember is that our pets may also be drawn to foods that we enjoy, but what’s harmless for us can be harmful for them. Stay proactive in safeguarding your furry friend’s health by learning about foods that could pose a danger. Ensuring they’re inaccessible. Your dedication could truly be a lifesaver for your beloved companion.

Common kitchen items that are not okay for dogs:

Alcohol

  • Affects range from depression, difficulty walking, slow breathing, collapse, peeing, and possibly death in dogs and cats.

Bread dough

  • Bread dough expands in the tummy causing it to distend to a point that can affect their breathing; the yeast also ferments to ethanol causing alcohol toxicity in dogs and cats.

Chocolate

  • Not surprisingly, chocolate ingestion is one of the most common ingestion questions we see. Signs range from an upset tummy to hyperactivity, seizures, abnormal heart rhythm and possibly death in dogs and cats.

Coffee

  • Coffee or any product containing caffeine needs to be avoided. Signs of ingestion can include hyperactivity, vomiting, abnormal heart rhythms, tremors, seizures and possibly death in dogs and cats.

Garlic & Onions

  • In large amounts, onions and garlic can cause the destruction of red blood cells and lead to anaemia in dogs and cats.

Fatty foods

  • Even small amounts of food high in fat can cause an upset tummy, or worse, pancreatitis in dogs and cats.

Macadamia nuts

  • These are known to be toxic to dogs and can lead to symptoms such as weakness, vomiting, tremors, and even temporary paralysis.

Medications

  • Human and veterinary medications should be monitored and kept out of reach of pets at all times. Never administer human medications, to pets without consulting a veterinarian first.

Sultanas/Grapes

  • When it comes to grapes there is no specific toxic dose. For that reason, it is safest to assume that every dog and cat can become very unwell from even a low dose. Because sultanas and raisins are a more concentrated version of a grape, symptoms with raisin ingestion are often more severe.

The worst case scenario is that grapes can cause acute kidney failure which is extremely serious – you may not see any signs of disease for one – two days following ingestion. Learn more here.

Xylitol

  • This artificial sweetener, commonly found in sugar-free gum and some baked goods, is extremely toxic to dogs and can cause rapid insulin release, leading to a life threatening drop in blood sugar and liver failure.

What to do when these are eaten? 

If your pet consumes any, consult a vet ASAP. Swift action can save their life!

Worried about something your pet has eaten? Chat with our vets
Our experienced Aussie vets are online, and available within minutes 24/7. 
If you need help, don’t hesitate to start a chat