Toxic Foods for Dogs List: Dangerous foods for dogs you should never give to your puppy

You should never, in any circumstances, feed your dog with specific foods.

Of course, there are some variables, like breed, weight, etc. but our list of foods applies to the foods that generally the dogs can’t eat.

Follow our list to avoid any accidents.

You can save this very helpful infographic and keep it in hand on your phone or computer in order to remember what food your dog cannot eat.

If you like specific food, it doesn’t mean you should give it to your dog!

Some foods that can be safely consumed by humans or other animals might be toxic and poisonous for dogs.

They can jeopardize both the health and the well-being of your puppy.

So, why is that?

Every animal has a different rate of metabolism.

That process – metabolism – consist of breaking the food down and turning its ingredients into energy to supply the organism with.

Remember that, although we did our best to mention every food we could find as unsafe for dogs, we might have missed some. Remember that, although we did our best to mention every food we could find as unsafe for dogs, we might have missed some. Thus, do not consider a certain food to be safe for dog’s use only because you couldn’t find it in our list of bad for dog’s foods.

If you are not sure that a certain food is safe for your dog, do a research and add a comment below with your new information letting us know what have you found. That way we will be able to update our bad food for dogs list.

If your dogs has eaten something you are worried about, do contact your vet straight away.

Toxic Food for Dogs List

Bellow we have provided a list of foods that are not fit for canine consummation.

A lot of the examples on our list can be toxic for dogs.

We will do our best to update the list and add more dangerous foods as we find our more information.

Here you can find a helpful and shareable infographic:

Share this infographic on your website:

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Chocolate

Some of you might have heard this already:

Chocolate is a must NOT for your dog!

It consist caffeine (which, alone, can harm your pet) but also theophylline and theobromine.

These two ingredients have toxic action and can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, panting and can damage the heart and the nervous system of your dog.

Other possible symptoms include – seizures and tremors, leading to death.

The dark chocolate is among the most dangerous types and so is the unsweetened baking chocolate.

Coffee

Well, while why would you give coffee to your dog is a mastery to us, we should inform you that this is pretty much the same as the chocolate.

If ingested, it can cause poisoning to your dog. If you want your pet to be perky, provide him some toys to play with, because they cannot be fatal, unlike caffeine.

Keep away, on a safe unreachable for the dog place, the coffee and the tea.

The beans can also be harmful, as well as the grounds. Do not give your dog any chocolate, cocoa, cola or energy drink.

Some medicines for cold, as well as some pain killers, also contain caffeine.

If you suspect that your dog have ingested caffeine, look out for fast breathing, restlessness and muscle twitches.

Corn on the Cob

A guaranteed way to block the intestine system of your dog.

While the corn will be digested, the cob will lodge in the small intestine. It should be surgically removed, or otherwise will cause death for the dog.

Furthermore, if you feed your dog with too much corn kernels, this will upset the digestive system.

Thus, do not give you dog any corn on the cob and just small quantities of corn.

Grapes and Raisins

A lot of people who own dogs are unaware of this danger.

A toxin is contained in the grapes – it can be a reason for liver damage and kidney failure, which are very severe conditions.

Even the smallest amount of grapes and raisins can poison your dog.

An early sign of toxic activity after ingestion of grapes or raising is vomiting. Then the depression comes, together with getting sluggish.

A handful of grapes can cause death in dogs, so do not, in any case, feed your dog with this food.

There are far safer and better foods that you can feed your dog.

Macadamia Nuts

There is a specific toxin in the macadamia nuts that inhibits the locomotory activities. This leads to panting, weakness, tremors and swollen limbs.

It also might damage the muscle, nervous and digestive systems of your dog.

Do not give your puppy any macadamia nuts or foods that contain this product.

Even six macadamia nuts, raw or roasted, can cause severe damages to your pet.

Keep an eye for vomiting, weakness in the back legs, muscle shakes and high temperature.

If you dog ingests chocolate with macadamia nuts, this will lead to more severe symptoms and, possibly, to death.

Walnuts

Walnuts can cause seizures because of the contained in them toxin – tremorgenic mycotoxins.

Pecans

The pecans can cause intestinal obstruction or gastric intestinal upset, because of the toxin juglone that they contain.

Pistachios

Might upset your dog’s stomach because of the huge amount of fat in them.

If you feed your dog repeatedly with pistachio, it can develop pancreatitis.

Onions and Chives

They might be raw, dry, in powder, cooked, in other foods, etc. but no matter of their form, they are among the worst foods for your dog and worse for cats too.

They act like a poisoned, because of the sulfoxides (thiosulfate) and the disulfides, which cause damage to the red blood cells and anemia.

Persimmons, Peaches and Plums

Here, with this foods, the problem is in the seeds (or in the pits).

The pits of the peaches can shake your dog but they also contain cyanide, amygdaline and sugar compound – they, when metabolized, will degrade into HCN (hydrogenic cyanide).

In the seeds of the pears are found traces of arsenic, thus, they are also poisonous.

If plums, peaches or persimmons grow in your area, you should look out for them.

If your dog eats seeds or pits from these fruits, it can develop enteritis and intestinal obstruction.

Clean your backyard from any wild trees that grow fruits with seeds or pits.

If you see any seeds or pits in your dog’s poop, you should chop down the fruit trees in your garden that produces pits or seeds.

Tobacco

It is very toxic both for humans and animals.

The nicotine is much more poisonous for dogs that they are for humans.

The nicotine can cause damages on the dog’s nervous and digestive systems.

Look out for any symptoms, like increased heart rate or loss of consciousness.

The nicotine poisoning in dogs can result in death.

Xylitol

Any food that has xylitol for sweetener – like, gum, candy, baked products, diet foods, even toothpaste, can be dangerous for your dog, because the xylitol causes the blood sugar to drop ad might lead to liver failure.

Lethargy, vomiting and problems with the coordination are early symptoms.

Few days after the xylitol poisoning a liver failure can be developed.

Yeast (on its own or in dough)

When used in making bread, the yeast will rise. The same process happens in the dog’s stomach, so keep the yeast out of the dog’s reach.

Mild poisoning will result in farting, gas and discomfort. If the ingested yeast is a lot, it can cause rupture of the stomach and intestines.

When it expands in the dog’s stomach, it will cause stretching of the abdomen, which will lead to a lot of pain.

The process of the yeast fermentation makes alcohol – thus, alcohol poisoning is also a possibility.

Baking powder and baking soda

Highly toxic and poisonous products are the baking soda and the baking powder, plus other spices, like nutmeg.

These foods must be kept aside from your dog’s reach because they can lead to very severe symptoms if ingested.

Human Medicine

If you give your dog a human medicine, this can make the canine very, very sick.

Thus, all medicines should be kept our of dog’s (and kid’s) reach.

Over-the-counter medicines are also forbidden for dog’s use, unless allowed by the vet.

Ibuprofen and acetaminophen (that are often used in cold medicines and pain killers) can cause death in dogs.

Other Dangerous foods for Dogs

Alcohol

A lot of people have heard funny stories where the main character is a dog that accidentally had drank alcohol and this had been the most amusing part of the party.

Well, it might have seemed funny and entertaining, but not for your dog. Just like the alcohol acts on the liver and the brain of the humans, it does on the dogs.

But canines react on less quantities of it, like little wine, beer or liquor (even foods that contain alcohol) can damage the dog’s health, causing symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, breathing and coordination problems.

Afterwards, the alcohol poisoning might lead to coma and death. The poisoning will be worse in smaller dogs.

Apple Seeds

There is a specific natural chemical, called amygdalin, in the apple seeds, which releases cyanide if digested.

It becomes a problem when a large amount of seeds are chewed by the dog and when the chemical enters the blood stream.

But, just to be safe, remove the seeds from the apples before giving the fruit to your dog.

Avocado

Avocados contain a chemical named pepsin, which is OK for the humans that aren’t allergic to it, but can hurt dogs if eaten in large quantities.

Keep the dog away from any avocado plants.

But not only the fruit contains pepsin – so do the seeds, leaves and barks.

Baby Food

Baby food isn’t too dangerous, if there is no onion powder in it, but isn’t a source of enough nutrients that the dog’s diet should consist of for the pet to be healthy.

Cooked Bones

Cooked bones are dangerous for the dogs because they easily splinter and can choke the dog.

Yes, giving a bone to the dog might seem something very natural, but do not feed the dog cooked bones as it can choke on them or they can block the digestive system, or cause cuts in it.

Well, if you are considering to give the dog uncooked (raw) bones, this is not a problem at all, since they are good for the nutrition and the teeth of your pet.

Candy and Chewing Gum

The candy is bad for two reasons:

First, it has sugar in it and, second, there is often Xylitol in it and this can cause kidney failure, over-release of insulin and even worse symptoms.

Cat Food

Well, probably the dogs wouldn’t want to eat cat food, but in this type of food there are some fats and proteins that should be included in the cat’s diet, but not in this of a dog.

They contain high levels of fat and protein, which are not healthy for your dog.

Citrus Oil Extracts

Might lead to vomiting.

Fat Trimmings

The fat trimmed from cooked or uncooked meat might result in pancreatitis in your dog.

Fish

The most dangerous types of fish for your dog are salmon and trout.

If the raw salmon is infected with Nanophyetussalmincola– which is a specific parasite – it can be deadly, because it is often infected with the bacteria Neorickettsiahelminthoeca.

If the proper treatment isn’t provided, this might cause death. Early diagnosis allows a huge chance of recovery.

If the salmon is cooked, the parasite is killed, so the food is fine.

Garlic

Small quantities of garlic are OK for the dogs, and can even be beneficial if used for treating fleas, but large amounts can cause poisoning.

Since the garlic is related to the onions, and we mentioned that they can be toxic, the product should be avoided.

Hops

This is a certain ingredient in beer. It has toxic effect to your dog and, if ingested, can lead to fever, panting, tachycardia (increased heart rate), seizures and death.

Human Vitamins

Some of the vitamins that are for human use might be with the same ingredients of the vitamins that your vet had subscribed for your pet and can be even a cheaper equivalent of them.

But is very important to compare the active and the inactive ingredients.

Also, the vitamins you give to your dog should not contain iron, because it damages the dog’s digestive system and it is toxic for the kidneys and the liver.

Liver

Well, liver isn’t dangerous in small quantities, but it has Vitamin A in it, which in larger amounts can damage the muscles and the bones of the dog.

Almonds

Do not feed you dog with almonds.

They aren’t poisonous but cannot be digested easily and might lead to upset stomach and can be a reason for gastric intestinal distress.

While the macadamia nuts, the pecans and walnuts are more toxic than the almonds – the latter can block the esophagus and tear the windpipe.

If the almonds are salted, they are more dangerous because they are reason for increase of the water retention. This can be fatal if your dog is prone to heart diseases.

Marijuana

We cannot imagine somebody who would roll a joint for his dog, but we’ll mentioned it here, so you know that the marijuana can cause vomiting and may damage the heart rate and the nervous system of your dog.

Milk and Dairy Products

Small amounts of these products will only cause farting and diarrhea, but will not result in death.

They might be a reason for developing a food allergy, which causes itching and scratching.

Why?

Well, dogs, like a lot of people, are lactose intolerant, which means that they lack the necessary quantity of the lactase enzyme, which helps for a proper digestion of the dairy foods.

So, when giving a dairy products to your dog, choose the ones that are lactose-free.

You may feel as it is okay to give your dog some ice cream when the weather is hot outside, but the better option would be to give the dog an ice cube.

Mushrooms

The wild mushrooms that you can find in the nature trails or even in your backyard can be toxic and may cause kidneys or liver failure, as well as brain damages.

Some of the symptoms include vomiting, seizures, nervous system abnormalities and coma, and the poisoning with mushrooms eventually leads to death.

People can die if they eat the wrong mushroom, and so can dogs.

So, do not feed your dog mushrooms.

Rhubarb and Tomato Leaves

In these products oxalates can be found – these can lead to problems with the nervous, digestive and urinary systems.

Raw Fish

If you often feed your dog with raw fish, it can develop deficiency of vitamin B (Thiamine).

This condition leads to loss of appetite, seizures, and death (in very rare occasions).

The raw fish and meat contain bacteria which is a reason for food poisoning.

In some types of fish – trout, sturgeon, shad or salmon – a specific parasite can be found and its presence causes “salmon poisoning disease” or “fish poisoning”.

If diagnosed and treated early, the condition is curable.

Vomiting is one of the first symptoms, altogether with fever and enlarged lymph nodes.

To kill the parasite, you should cook the fish.

Salt

Well, the salt isn’t exactly the healthiest thing for people and doesn’t help the dogs either.

If you feed your dog with too much salt, this may result in electrolyte levels misbalance, diarrhea and dehydration.

You should better not give your dog any salty foods (pretzels, chips, etc.), because this will lead to severe thirst, and may cause sodium ion poisoning.

Diarrhea, vomiting, tremors, depression, fever and seizures are symptoms of salt overdose.

Spices containing Capsaicin

This ingredient – the capsaicin – can be found in every pepper and in the chili powder. It can irritate every type of mammals.

String

A lot of foods might be similar to or to contain string, which can lead to problems with the digestive tract and can cause various complications.

Sugar

Any food with sugar in it might be as dangerous to dogs as it is to people and can lead to overweight, teeth problems, diabetes or obesity.

So, look at the ingredient label.

A cheaper form of sugar is the corn syrup, which is contained in pretty much everything.

Other Bad foods for dogs

Keep These Away From Your Dog

We cannot put these foods in the above categories, but they also should be avoided:

Old Food

Now, you wouldn’t eat old or moldy food, then what makes you think that it is okay to give it to you pet?

The spoiled food contains a bacteria that has a huge number of toxins, which can severely damage the health of your pet.

You’d better give your dog only fresh dog-approved food.

Leftovers

Your dog will be more than happy to eat the leftovers of your meal, once you’ve finished eating, but if you let it do this regularly, it will be getting an unbalanced and non-healthy diet.

When you are giving your pet the table scraps, you should trim down the fat first and take out the bones.

Check the Ingredients

Always check the ingredient list before giving any food to your dog and make sure that there aren’t any items from the list we’ve provided.

A lot of foods have caffeine and sugar, and you wouldn’t suspect to find these ingredients there, so do not forget to check the ingredients first.

Human Snacks

Chips can have ingredients such as onion powder or garlic, while in the cookies there might be chocolate, raisins or macadamia nuts.

Well, since there are special food and treats for dogs, there is a reason for that.

When in Doubt, Ask a Vet

Should your dog start to behave strangely or if it presents with symptoms like diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, lack of coordination and others, and you suspect that the pet might have ingested something that it shouldn’t have, bring your dog to the vet straight away.

Keep Your Dog on a Healthy Diet

Raising a dog is a very big responsibility and they are, just like the kids, members of your family.

Most of the owners know that they have to take a proper care of their pets, but some people do not understand how different the dogs can be when it is the matter of food.

Your vet will provide you with the best advice for proper food and special needs for dogs of different breeds and age.

By consulting a professionals, you will understand what food your dog must not eat and will lower the possibility of health problems in the future.

I Cannot Reach My Vet – What To Do?

Sometimes there is an emergency that requires immediate action and, if you cannot reach your vet, try going to a local animal emergency clinic. If the second isn’t an option, then call the animal poison hotline – the number is 888-232-8870.

Or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center – their number is 888-426-4435.

Considering what item have the animal ingested, the vet or the animal poison hotline will induce vomiting.

By doing this, they can regurgitate the ingested item.

If the item can cause further damage if vomited, other methods will be offered – like ingesting an item that can neutralize the first or performing a surgery – in any case, the item that is the reason for your dog’s health problems should be removed.

Safe Human Foods for Dogs

Some of the human foods are not toxic for canines, but should be fed in small quantities only. The things that doesn’t cause side effects in dogs are:

Lean Meat

Lean meat is without any excessive fat or bones.

The skin of the chickens and turkeys also contains fat, so it should be removed before the meat is given to the dog.

Lean meat includes the chicken’s, or turkey’s, white meat, which can be very tasty for your pet and provides protein.

The lean meat is allowed cooked, as well as raw, and is a wonderful source of protein and nutrients.

Eggs

Although some people do give their dogs uncooked eggs, you’d better not.

The veterinarians consider this a bad idea, because a food poisoning might occur, because or bacteria like E. Coli and salmonella.

If you are feeding your dog on a “raw diet” exclude the raw eggs.

The white part has enzyme, called Avidin, and it can inhibit the absorption of Biotin (vitamin B).

There is enough Biotin in the yolk to even out that enzyme. Thus, the eggs are a wonderful source of vitamins and proteins. If you want to, you can first talk to your vet about that.

Fruits

Excluding the listed above fruits, it is safe to give your dog slices of apples, blueberries and strawberries, bananas and watermelons.

Indeed, first, you should remove the seeds.

When it comes to the watermelon, it should be a seedless one, because there are traces of arsenic in the seeds and this can lead to poisoning, although it is in very small amount.

Feeding your dog fresh fruits is an excellent choice during hot days or in training sessions.

Vegetables

Some vegetables are safe for dog consummation.

Among them are slices of cucumber or zucchini, green beans and carrots. If you want your dog to lose some weight, replace the usual treats with carrots.

These products are perfect for training session or for low-calorie food.

Do not give you puppy any canned or pickled vegetables – this is because there is too much salt in them.

Baked Potatoes

A baked potato, when plain and without any toppings, is a wonderful treat for your dog during meal time, but do not give baked potatoes to your pet too often.

White Rice and Pasta

If your dog’s stomach is upset, the white rice and the pasta are wonderful choices.

Even more, the boiled chicken, as well as the white rise, provide a good diet to a dog that doesn’t have proper nutrition from the food due to an illness.

In Conclusion

Yes, some of the human foods are perfectly safe for your pet, but a lot of the others can be toxic and poisonous if your dog ingests them.

It’s better to be safe than sorry and that is why we advise you not to give your dog food that is made for humans, unless your vet had recommended it.

If you do not give the table scraps to your pet, your dog will be better behaved that the dogs that receive the leftovers.

Knowing that they will not get any scraps, the dogs will be more patient and will drool less, thus, they won’t bother your visitors.

The dogs will understand that the human food should be consumed by humans, while the dog food is for dogs.