6 Foods in Your Kitchen That Could Kill Your Dog

 

Everyone likes to slip their pooch a tidbit or two of human food every now and again; we're all guilty of loving our pups just a bit too much sometimes! Some foods are so dangerous, though, so they should never be considered as treats

 

Alcoholic Beverages

While not technically a food, alcoholic beverages are common enough and potent enough to deserve a mention. Your dog should never be given or allowed access to any drink containing alcohol. Alcohol causes identical damage in animals that it does in humans. In dogs, though, the effects are greatly magnified because they're so much smaller than the average human. Additionally, the canine body does not metabolize alcohol and the toxin builds up far quicker and with far more dire results. Even minute amounts of alcohol can cause vomiting, seizures and damage to your dog's liver and brain.

Raisins

Raisins may be one of the most toxic human foods a dog can eat. A very small number of raisins can easily kill a dog, and the smaller the dog, the more dire the threat. Merck Veterinary Manual states that .18 ounces of raisins per pound of body weight is a lethal dose. A lunchbox size pack of raisins is 2 ounces, and would be enough to kill a 10 to 12 pound dog. No one is sure what the toxic compound in raisins actually is. While there's been a lot of research conducted, no conclusion has been reached. What is known, though, is that raisins cause very quick kidney failure. Progression typically happens within one to three days, and early symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and seizures. If your dog has been exposed to raisins, take him to the vet immediately.

Macadamia Nuts

It's hard to resist the rich, meaty, delicate flavor of a macadamia nut whether you walk on two legs or four. It's very important, though, to keep your macadamia nuts and anything containing them to yourself. For your dog, ingesting these nuts can cause vomiting, weakness, tremors and hyperthermia. The symptoms usually resolve within 48 hours and typically aren't lethal, but it can be quite unpleasant for your dog. Just to be safe, your dog should be taken to the vet for monitoring if he's helped himself to something containing macadamia nuts.

Caffeine

Caffeine in any form can be quite dangerous for your pup. Just like in humans, it overstimulates the central nervous and circulatory systems. It can overtax the heart and, depending on the amount your dog consumed, can cause death. Tremors, rapid heart beat and unsteadiness are signs of caffeine consumption.

Onions

Onions can cause anemia in your dog when they're ingested over a period of time or in large amounts. While anemia may not sound all that serious, it quickly becomes so when you consider the fact that anemic cells cannot carry oxygen all that well and your highly-active pup may collapse without warning while exercising, walking or simply being. If your dog eats onions, take him to the vet; he'll likely need stabilizing treatment, up to and possibly including a blood transfusion.

Chocolate

While it takes a huge amount of chocolate to be lethal, smaller amounts can make your dog quite sick. Vomiting, diarrhea, panting, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and hyperactivity are signs that your pup has helped themselves to chocolate. Severity of the symptoms varies with the amount of chocolate your dog has eaten. White chocolate is the least dangerous and dark baking chocolate is the most dangerous, due to the amount of toxins they contain.

source ;  Kea Grace, Demand Media