Contributed by Angela Cleveland

We concern ourselves with our own health, but what about the health of our four-legged friends? Dogs, in particular, will eat almost anything we offer, and although we are told not to feed them table scraps, most dog owners have a hard time resisting those big pleading eyes. But, not only does feeding table scraps to your pet result in begging behaviour, it can also lead to obesity and, depending on the type of food, illness or death.

Here are some important types of “people” food that dogs should never eat (adapted from “Dog Health” at www.lowchensaustralia.com):

-Avocado: can cause difficulty breathing; fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart; or pancreatitis.

-Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources: can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.

-Chocolate, coffee, and tea: contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can be toxic and affect the heart and nervous systems. Chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. But any chocolate, in large enough amounts, can kill a dog.

-Dairy products: can cause pancreatitis, gas and diarrhea. A small amount of non-fat, plain yoghurt is usually safe.

-Fat trimmings: too much fat or fried foods can cause pancreatitis.

-Grapes and raisins: can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill him.

-Ham and bacon: contain too much fat and too much salt, and can cause pancreatitis. Also, large breeds of dogs that eat salty food may drink too much water and develop a life-threatening condition called bloat. This is where the stomach fills up with gas and within several hours may twist, causing death.

-Mushrooms: can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death. Wild mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma, or death.

-Nutmeg: can cause tremors, seizures and death.

-Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder): contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anaemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs.

-Raw fish: can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. More common if raw fish is fed regularly.

-Salt: if eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances and kidney problems. Large breeds of dogs that eat salty food may then drink too much water and develop bloat, which is fatal unless emergency treatment is given very quickly.

-Tomatoes: can cause tremors and heart arrhythmias.

-Walnuts: very poisonous to dogs.

-Yeast dough: can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.

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