Dogs and Chocolate? Not A Good Idea

Dogs and chocolate are not a winning combination. 

Chocolate contains a substance called methylxanthine which can cause severe illness and sometimes death in dogs. Dark chocolate is even more dangerous. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it can be to pets. White chocolate is sometimes touted as being OK, but it does contain methylxanthines as well, just in lower amounts. 

Carob

To be on the safe side, use carob for the chocolate look. Carob is a natural substance. The pods from the carob tree contain a sweet, edible substance that is often ground into carob powder and tastes similar to chocolate. Your dog will love it just the same.

Coffee also contains methylxanthines and should not be given to dogs.

Other substances to keep away from your four-legged friends include:

• Alcohol - can ultimately be fatal. Dogs do not have the same physiology as humans and cannot tolerate the same types of things that humans are  capable of consuming.

• Yeast Dough - can rise and create an accumulation of gas in the intestine leading to rupture. One of the reasons you will not find yeast in the list of dog cake ingredients. Once it is cooked and the yeast has already risen, it does not carry the same potential to be harmful.

• Milk - pets are essentially lactose intolerant so excessive amounts of milk products are not recommended. 

• Salt - can cause increased thirst and urination if too much is consumed. Some prescription dog foods contain salt purposely to get the dogs to drink more water, which is helpful for their health condition.

• Artificial sweetener: xylitol, used in gum, toothpaste, candy and some baked goods, can cause liver failure in dogs. This is why dogs have their own brands of toothpaste and why gum and candy should be kept out of reach. 

For more detailed information about the effects of these substances, please read "Dogs and Chocolate".

Dog Treat Ingredients to Avoid

Do you make your own pet treats? Did you know that there are certain foods that dogs should not eat? Some of these foods are very healthy for humans, but can prove fatal for dogs. So if you do make homemade dog treats, plan on leaving these items off your ingredient list. 

The following is a partial list of foods dogs should not eat and the untoward effects they can cause.

Dog treat ingredients to avoid include avocados

• Avocados: can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. Avocado leaves, seeds, bark and the fruit itself contain a substance called Persin, which can ultimately cause congestive heart failure. Healthy alternatives for dogs include sweet potatoes, bananas, or apples.

• Grapes and Raisins: these fruits can cause kidney failure. The toxin is not known, but dogs should not be given these to eat. Another problem that can occur with these small foodstuffs is choking.

• Onions: a large amount of this vegetable can cause gastrointestinal irritation and damage a dog's red blood cells. Garlic and chives in large amounts will do the same. An occasional piece will not cause a problem.

• Nuts: can create susceptibility for choking. Some dogs eat very quickly and gobble up any food they find. A small nut can become lodged in the throat very easily. Macadamia nuts are delicious and decorative in cookies and candies for people. But if ingested by a dog, be on the lookout for weakness, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia. 

• Raw meat, eggs and bones: Although it is a current trend to feed pets with raw meat, keep in mind that those products are processed very carefully. Just like for humans, raw food items can be dangerous because they may contain harmful bacteria such as Salmonella or E. Coli. Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that interferes with the absorption of biotin, a B vitamin, that promotes skin and coat health. (Cooking the eggs destroys the enzyme.) If you think it's a good idea to feed your dog raw bones because it will help him return to his ancestral ways of living in the wild, stop and rethink it! Not only can raw meat contain bacteria, but the bones can splinter and puncture a dog's GI tract. Groceries often sell packages of marrow bones also called soup bones. You can place these on a paper plate in the microwave for 2 minutes, and the meat inside will cook. Just make sure the bone is cooled before you give it to the dog, who may try to grab the hot bone in his mouth and sustain a burn.

There are other foodstuffs that dogs should not be given, like chocolate. We will cover those in  another post.