It’s no secret that there are plenty of things in the world that can cause harm to your pets, but you might be surprised at some you’ve never heard of or considered. Many people know that many kinds of “people food” don’t sit well with cats and dogs despite what movies or media have you believe otherwise. What you might not realize is that there are certain house plants and other unsafe food items for pets that can also be harmful.
Below, we break down what those are.
Is Chocolate Harmful to Dogs?
The short answer is yes, chocolate is poisonous to dogs, but it depends on how much they consume compared to the size of the dog. For example, if a large dog (e.g. 110lbs) ate 1 milk chocolate bar (85g) they would likely be fine due to the ratio of their body mass compared to the low theobromine (one of the main chemicals in cocoa). However, this would likely make a small dog (15lbs) very sick.
That being said, no matter the size of the dog, it’s never a good idea to give your dog chocolate as the chemicals can cause heart disease over time in dogs.
If your dog is exhibiting symptoms of being sick after eating chocolate, see a veterinarian right away.
What Are Some of the Main Unsafe Food Items for Pets?
Chocolate isn’t the only food that’s bad for pets. There are many foods that don’t sit well with them and are either poisonous or harmful. These include:
- Alcohol: It might make us drunk, but the effects are much worse on your pets. Your pets don’t have the capability to handle any kind of alcohol and they can die from it in even small amounts. Contact or rush your pet to a vet immediately if they’ve consumed any kind of alcohol.
- Grapes and raisins: It’s unclear as to why these can cause issues, especially with dogs, but they can be dangerous to them. This is because they’ve been known to cause kidney failure in dogs.
- Macadamia nuts: While other kinds of nuts can and will make your pets sick, macadamia nuts in particular are more dangerous due to the severity of the symptoms they can cause (including weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs). Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and can last approximately 24 to 48 hours.
- Onions: While onions can definitely cause dogs harm, it’s actually cats that are much more susceptible to the effects of onions. They can cause gastrointestinal irritation and in severe cases can cause red blood cell damage and anemia.
- Raw meat: While your pet is an animal, their bodies aren’t equipped as they once were to tackle the wild and that couldn’t be more true when it comes to eating raw meat. E. coli bacteria are often present in raw meat and both people and pets can get very sick from it.
How Can Flowers Harm Cats and Dogs?
Plenty of plants can be dangerous to us, and pets are no different although the kinds of plants toxic to them aren’t always the same. However, it should be noted that this is only when your pet consumes these plants or flowers, being around them won’t cause any symptoms.
The most toxic plants to your pet that can cause severe sickness or even death include:
- Azalea
- Crocus
- Rhododendron
- Tiger Lily
- Easter Lily
- American Bittersweet
- Clematis
- Daffodil
- Daylily
- Fox Glove
- Narcissus
- Morning Glory
Overall, by making sure to rush your pet to a veterinary hospital right away, you can save your pet’s life if they consume any food, plants, or flowers that are toxic or poisonous to them.