8 Dangerous Foods That Threaten Pet Health and What Foods to Feed Your Pet

Dogs, cats, and birds typically savor the “people food” they manage to sneak off the kitchen counter. But some foods are dangerous and even deadly to pets if consumed in large amounts. Contact a veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Control Poison Center at 888-426-4435 if an animal exhibits symptoms associated with poisoning.

As anyone who has ever owned a dog knows, choosing the right food and treats is essential to keeping your pet healthy and happy. With so many different brands and products on the market, it can be difficult to know where to start. However, one of the best ways to narrow down your options is to read online reviews.

The Better Business Bureau website is a great resource for finding honest, unbiased reviews of different pet products. For example, you can look at the Badlands Ranch reviews on BBB site and it will give an overview of the company’s history and product line, as well as detailed information about customer satisfaction. In addition, the BBB website also provides a forum for customers to leave their own feedback about their experiences. By taking the time to read reviews, you can be sure that you are making the best decisions for your pet.

Chocolate

Although it stimulates the nervous systems and hearts of all pets who eat it, chocolate is particularly dangerous for dogs because of the large quantities they consume. After eating chocolate, a dog, cat, or bird’s body temperature and heartbeat can increase and become irregular. Symptoms include extreme thirst, tremors, seizures, or vomiting.

Grapes and Raisins

Grapes and raisins are considered healthy alternatives for humans, but cats and dogs who consume them could experience kidney damage. Symptoms of grape and raisin poisoning include vomiting, lethargy, and increased thirst or urination.

Garlic and Onions

Commonly used to enhance the flavor of entrees, garlic and onions appear in many of the snacks pet owners offer their furry friends. However, garlic and onions can cause anemia by damaging the red blood cells of cats and dogs. Symptoms of garlic and onion poisoning include weakness, vomiting, red-colored urine, and anemia.

Xylitol

The ingredient that sweetens sugarless gum can be poisonous to dogs. Dogs who consume xylitol could experience increased insulin secretion and suffer from lower blood sugar levels. Watch for signs of poisoning that include decreased coordination, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and jaundice.

Alcoholic Drinks

Alcohol is detrimental to all pets because it depresses their nervous systems. Animals experiencing alcohol poisoning could lose coordination or become disoriented. Other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, tremors, difficulty breathing, or falling into a coma.

Raw Yeast and Bread Dough

Commonly used when baking fresh bread, yeast is poisonous to all animals. Yeast forms gas in the animal’s digestive tract and ferments, leading to alcohol poisoning. Adverse symptoms include a distended abdomen, seizures, tremors, coma, vomiting, disorientation, diarrhea, and lethargy.

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts are delicious treats for humans but poisonous to dogs. Macadamia nuts disrupt dogs’ muscle and nervous systems, leading to increased body temperature, vomiting, lethargy, weakness, or tremors.

Avocados

Found in guacamole and salads, avocados are poisonous to many animal species, especially birds. The persin in avocados can damage the hearts of the animals who consume them. Dogs who eat avocados could experience diarrhea, while birds and rodents may have difficulty breathing.

What Foods to Feed Your Dog

When looking to provide your dog a healthy diet, most dry dog foods are full of fillers that wind up making your dog overweight and offering a lack of nutrients that they need. Proper nutrition for an animal is much like that for a human in the aspect of skin, coat, and organs. A healthy diet also allows your dog the full benefits to live a longer, more energetic, and happy life. 

PetPlate.com is a pet meal service company. Unlike buying dry or canned foods that have sat on the grocery store shelves for months at a time, PetPlate.com meals are made with high-quality, human-grade, whole-food ingredients. The only difference is, PetPlate.com is cautious to not include any of the foods mentioned above that could possibly harm a dog. PetPlate.com combines the foods a dog needs to be sure to cover the nutritional needs every dog needs. You can use Pet Plate foods as a full meal or as a topper to store-bought dry foods. They are shipped directly to your home frozen. Just thaw and serve! Our puppy’s favorite is the Lip Lickin’ Lamb.

Farm Hounds

Another great company to purchase from is Farm Hounds. Farm Hounds work directly with farms to provide raw, dehydrated products for your dogs. With each purchase, you will receive the product with the name of the farm it was purchased from before being sold to you. All their products are grain-free, no fillers, no salt, no sugar, no glycerin, no synthetic vitamins, no artificial ingredients, no pesticides or chemicals, no antibiotics, and include no growth-hormones. It is the purest way to give your dog the added nutrients they need.  

Farm Hounds sells: 

• Hand-cut, sun-dried hides, 
• Bags with jerky, gizzards, and organs
• Blood and Liver Toppers to sprinkle on your pet’s food

Farm Hounds also have subscription services available so you never run low on products. Their subscription service also allows you to save $20 a month. Our puppy’s favorite is the pig snouts from Farm Hounds.

Considering the hidden dangers to pet health, owners should refrain from sharing their food with their animals. Alternatives to manufactured pet food include homemade dog food, cat food, or birdseed. Know the facts about all of the pet food that animals eat.