What You Should Never Feed Your Dog
by: Aaron Wilmont
Unfortunately, there are a number of household items which we
tend to take for granted that are potentially very dangerous to
your dog's health. It is especially important to be aware of this
because as you know, dogs are essentially scavengers and will
often eat just about anything they can sink their fangs into. I
would say that may own dog is more like a mobile garbage disposal.
It is also very important to be aware of these items since their
sense of smell is so well developed that your pooch will be able
to find what you may think is well hidden.
One of these dangerous household items, it turns out, is simple
chocolate. While chocolate has been reported recently to be high
in human-friendly antioxidants, it appears to be potentially
lethal for our pets, and particularly for our dogs. Cats are
mostly unaffected since they do not care for the taste of
chocolate, but dogs tend to be crazy about it. Certain breeds of
dogs react indifferently to chocolate. The root of the problem is
that chocolate contains various chemicals which are called
methylxanthine alkaloids(sometypes have more of these chemicals
than others) Sadly, relatively miniscule amounts of these
chemicals are capable of causing such serious problems as
constriction of the arteries and an increased heart rate. Large
amounts may cause even more dire symptoms and a pound of milk
chocolate could possibly kill a sixteen pound dog. If you find
that your dog has eaten chocolate then by all means take note of
the it's type and try to estimate the amount eaten. Then get on
the phone with a veternarian or an emergency facility. Be sure
that your children know how important it is to keep chocolate out
of your dog’s reach. If you are not aware that your dog has
consumed chocolate, the consequences could be severe. If
consumption is not found within 4 to 6 hours without the right
treatment, cardiac failure, seizures, coma and death could result,
according to veternarian Dr. Jane Bicks.
In addition to seemingly innocent chocolate, there are a number
of other common household items that may seem safe for our dogs
but that can be downright dangerous.
Some mushrooms, for example, can produce abdominal pain, liver
andd kidney damage and amenia. So be aware of wild mushrooms when
you are out walking your dog in wooded areas. Garlic may seem
benign but can cause vomiting, liver damage, anemia and diarrhea
so do not give your pet baby food since it can contain garlic.
Anti-freeze can shut down your dog's kidney and they tend to love
the taste. Miscletoe can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and
depression. Onions can causeliver damage, anemia and diarrhea.
Onion can also sometimes be found in baby food. Cats are actually
somewhat more sensitive to this one so keep out of the reach of
both. Coffee, like cocoa, is especially dangerous, and may cause
heart rate increase, diarrhea, seizures, coma, death. Caffeine
just does not have the same effect in dogs. When outside be
careful around apple and cherry trees. While the fruit is safe,
the leaves and roots are not. And be very careful about Moth
Balls. it's primary chemical naphthalene is extremely toxic to
dogs and can result in tremors and seizures.
Concerning dog food, you should be looking for dyes and other
chemicals, according to Dr. Jane BHA, for instance, which is one
of the main synthetic antioxidant preservatives used to prevent
food discoloration, has been observed to cause cancer in
laboratory rats at certain doses. Small doses are as yet unclear
but since dog food is eaten every day caution is advised. Many
conventional dog food brands have large quantities of sodium to
make them palatable, and this can be quite harmful to a dog. Other
ingredients to wary of are dairy, by-products, chemical
preservatives and artificial colors.
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