I often talk about my dog as if she were a human. It can be confusing when I use her name in conversation without prefacing it with "my dog" or "my pet."
But as much as she is an interesting conversationalist, she is not human. This is particularly true when it comes to exposure to accidental toxins.
There are a number of commercials on television telling us that dogs want to eat the same things as we do. All sorts of foods and treats that look and taste just like things we eat. There is even "gluten-free" dog food. And tasty wet food that looks just like stew with peas.
I had a dog that didn't eat peas. It was interesting to watch him tackle a stew mixture. I am not sure how he managed it, but he would eat everything else and spit the peas out.
In any case, there are a wide variety of foods that we eat that dogs simply shouldn't. In some cases, the food is sufficiently toxic that it can kill a full-grown healthy dog.
Perhaps the mostly widely discussed food on the list is chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the worse it is for your dog, we are told. Indeed, some sources say white chocolate is "okay" for dogs.
Not really.
It is not chocolate that is bad for your dog but rather the chemical components found in the chocolate and the quantity of these chemicals does not correlate with the colour.
Caffeine and theobromine are two very similar compounds and both belong in a group of chemicals called methylxanthines, all of which are potentially toxic.
Methylxanthines are naturally occurring compounds found in a variety of food. However, in our diet, they are mostly associated with chocolate (particularly dark baker's chocolate), cocoa powder, chocolate baked goods, and cocoa shell-based garden mulches. None of these are things that a dog should be eating. Even a small amount can have deleterious effects.
The methylxanthines are also found in other substances. A cup of coffee or a soda pop is not good for a dog either. I know that most people do not sit down for a cup of morning joe with their pet but even leaving a half full cup within reach can result in a dog getting exposure to more caffeine than is healthy. Symptoms can range from vomiting and increased thirst to seizures and death.
Another class of foods that dogs should avoid is grapes and raisins. They can lead to kidney failure although the exact mechanism hasn't been isolated. Further complicating the picture is that some dogs have no response while other dogs can eat just a couple of grapes and collapse with life-threatening problems. Some dogs are even fine with their first exposure but a second batch can kill.
Avocados - leaves, fruit, seeds, or bark - are equally dangerous to animals. They may contain a compound called persin, an oil-soluble compound similar to a fatty acid. It is generated in the pit but leaches into the fruit over time.
It is not just dogs, though, that respond to persin. Horses, rabbits, cats, and birds can all be sensitive to avocados. In dogs, it is generally not life threatening but it can lead to obstructions in the gastrointestinal tract that can be fatal if left untreated.
Onions and garlic, along with other close members of the onion family such as shallots and scallions, contain compounds that can damage a dog's red blood cells. It typically takes a few days for symptoms to appear and can be treated by a blood transfusion. For these foods, the general rule is the stronger it is, the more toxic it is.
Dogs are much more sensitive to ethanol (alcohol) than we are. Even a small amount can produce significant intoxication leading to vomiting, disorientation, and stupor. In severe cases, it can lead to death.
In the case of beer, it is not just the ethanol that is a problem. Cultivated hops used for brewing beer are rich in a number of naturally occurring alkaloids. Both fresh and cooked hops have been implicated in poisoning dogs. While the alkaloid dose in beer itself is not high, some of the compounds from the hops do find their way into the final product.
Even something as simple as a macadamia nut can be toxic to a dog. It will not likely kill them but can lead to pain and weakness in their rear legs along with a low grade fever.
Generally speaking, as much as we would like to think of our pets as humans, they have evolved under different circumstances. Our food and theirs is much different. And yes, there are many foods that they can eat off the side of the table. But not everything.
