It’s a common movie and TV trope of the kid who doesn’t want to eat his “gross” vegetables or meal simply slips his plate under the table for the dog to eat. In real life, however, this isn’t a good idea for kids or adults alike to do. While some foods are okay for your pup to eat, if your dog ate raw chicken or chocolate, there’s more reason for concern.
Below we break down what foods are not okay for your furry friend to eat.
My Dog Ate Raw Chicken, Is That Bad?
A very popular question is ‘Can dogs eat raw chicken?‘, The short answer: yes. A popular myth that continues to circle around on social media is that eating raw meat is okay or even good for dogs—it’s not. Your pet may have descended from wolves, but they aren’t a wolf. Their digestion system is very different than that of their wild relatives, and raw meat houses bacteria that can not only be harmful to your dog, but also to you.
E. coli, the bacteria that’s often the cause of meat recalls, often has its home in raw meat which can even get transferred to you if your dog licks your face after eating raw meat with E. coli in it.
Why Chocolate Is Bad for Dogs
While this is fairly well known at this point, it’s important to re-state that chocolate is poisonous to dogs of all kinds. Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine — a bit like caffeine — that makes it poisonous to dogs.
If eaten, your pet will likely start seeing symptoms between 4-24 hours after consumption. This stimulant can cause vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, hyperactivity, and even seizures depending on how much chocolate they ate with this chemical in it.
You Can’t Eat Mould and Neither Can Your Dog
It sucks when food gets mouldy before you get a chance to eat it, but giving it to your dog instead of throwing it away is a bad idea.
Like humans, dogs can’t handle mouldy food either and will get sick if they eat it. This especially includes food like bread, nuts, or dairy so put your food in the trash when it goes bad.
Onions, Garlic, and Chives Are All Bad for Dogs
While many vegetables are actually okay for your dog to eat (and even good for them in some cases) onions, garlic, and chives should all be avoided. Why? They can each cause stomach and gut irritation and potentially lead to red blood cell damage and anemia.
It’s not just raw onions, garlic, or chives that are poisonous either. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions, and table scraps containing cooked onions or garlic. Even the onion or garlic powder in sauces or gravies can be poisonous.
Grapes and Raisins Aren’t Good for Your Dog
Currently, no one knows what chemicals in grapes or raisins aren’t good for dogs, but what is known is how they can cause kidney failure in sensitive individuals. Even just one raisin can be severely toxic to your dog.
Overall, your pet just can’t eat all the same food as you do. If you’re ever unsure if what they ate was poisonous, book an appointment with a veterinarian so they can help your pet get back to their happy, healthy self.