We humans, enjoy a wide variety of foods without even thinking about them being poisonous to us or harming us in any way. That is because we live in a society that has assured us what foods we can consume and what foods we should avoid. However, for us dog owners, it can sometimes be normal to give our dogs human food without even realising the damage it can cause. Here are some of the foods you should avoid giving to your dog:

Chocolate

Chocolate is a known substance to cause problems with dogs’ ingestion. The sweet treat can cause illness or even death is some cases. It is one of the most common case of dog poisoning today. There are many factors as to which extent your pooch will be affected if he sneaked up on a stash of sweet chocolate. Larger dogs are usually affected to some degree, but smaller dogs can get really sick even from eating a very small piece of chocolate.

Grapes

Grapes and raisins (dried grapes) are known to cause very severe problems for most dogs. Even though the exact substance that causes the toxic reaction is still unknown, no dog should even eat grapes as even small amounts can be fatally toxic to your pooch. Symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea can appear after little to no time after ingestion.

Xylitol

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener used as an alternative to sugar. Although safe for your consumption it is not for your dog’s. It is a sugar alcohol and will cause severe damage to your dog’s livers. It can cause seizures, hypoglycemia or even death in some cases. It is known to be about as a 100 times more toxic to dogs than chocolate.

Macadamia Nuts

Although non fatal, this everyday human snack is very dangerous for all sorts of dogs. It will cause uncontrollable vomiting, ataxia, weakness, hyperthermia and even depression. Fortunately, most dogs can recover without any treatment, but severe affections should be treated by professional care.

Alcohol

Some dogs like the taste and smell of beer, which can make them prone to ingesting larger quantities of alcohol. Alcohol will cause ethanol toxicity in dogs and can make them severely sick. Dogs will be affected similarly to ingestion of alcohol as humans are, but with their smaller size and the inability to process the properties of alcohol, they are not very good “drinkers”. In most cases ingestion of alcohol will cause confusion, disorientation and weakened motor functions.

Conclusion

Whether you decide to go out drinking or munching on a big bar of chocolate, give your dog a bone or some treats to satisfy his hunger and taste. We recommend all pet owners to keep their dogs safe from these substances as it will make their dog’s healthier and will reduce the risks of sickness.

See more on Wikipedia.