Just because your dog or cat may beg for food while you eat at the table does not mean you should give it to them. In fact, there are several human foods that are very dangerous for your dog or cat. Here are five of the most dangerous foods that you should always avoid giving to your dog or cat if you want them to be healthy:
1. Grapes and raisins
Grapes and raisins are foods that you should never give to your dog or cat under any circumstances. The main reason why grapes and raisins pose a major health risk to pets is they can cause kidney failure in dogs and cats. The consumption of grapes and raisins can cause anuria in these animals, which means they stop producing urine. While grapes and raisins are healthy and delicious snacks for humans, avoid giving them to your pets at all costs.
2. Onions and garlic
Other foods you should always avoid giving to your dog or cat are onions and garlic. It only takes the consumption of one medium-sized onion to become toxic for dogs. Some of the pet toxicity symptoms that dogs show when they eat onion or garlic include anemia and weakness. Anemia is dangerous because it means the body does not have enough red blood cells to carry enough oxygen to the body’s tissues. If you have a dog or cat and accidentally drop garlic or onion on the floor, pick it up and dispose of it as soon as possible.
3. Raw eggs
Raw eggs are another food that can cause pet toxicity symptoms in dogs and cats. For example, cats’ bodies are not able to properly absorb the chemicals found in raw egg whites. Additionally, consumption of raw eggs can cause severe digestive problems in both dogs and cats. There is also a risk of dogs and cats developing salmonella after the consumption of raw eggs. Avoid giving your dog or cat raw eggs. If you feel you need to give them eggs at all, be sure to cook them first.
4. Raw meat and bones
Do not give your dog or cat raw meat or bones. Just as raw meat is unhealthy and risky for humans to consume, the same is true for dogs and cats. Both animals are at risk of developing food poisoning from eating raw meat. They can, however, eat cooked meat, which they will also enjoy immensely. Bones from meat are also not good to give to your dog or cat because the sharp shards can get into their digestive tracts and cause severe damage to the mouth, throat and intestines.
5. Chocolate and caffeine
People should not give chocolate or caffeine to their dogs or cats. Even a very minuscule amount of coffee or tea can cause a pet to become very sick, but if your pet gets into an entire bag or tub of coffee and consumes it, they are at a huge risk of dying from it. In addition, chocolate is very bad for dogs because a chemical in chocolate called theobromine is toxic for dogs and cats.
Under no circumstances should people give their pets any of the foods mentioned above. If they eat any of these foods accidentally, call or visit your veterinarian right away.
