Common Foods That Are Unsafe For Your Dog |
| The ASPCA's List of 13 Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pet-- |
| Items to Avoid | Reasons to Avoid Them |
| Alcoholic beverages | Can cause intoxication, coma and death. |
| Avocado | Its high fat content can lead to Pancreatitis. |
| Chocolate (all forms) | Contains caffeine, theobromine or theophylline which can be toxic to the heart and nervous system. |
| Coffee (all forms) | Contains caffeine which can be toxic to the heart and nervous system. |
| Fatty foods | Can cause Pancreatitis. |
| Macadamia nuts | Contains toxins which can affect the muscles, digestive system, and nervous system. |
| Moldy or spoiled foods | Could contain multiple toxins |
| Onions, onion powder | Contains sulfoxides and disulfides which can damage red blood cells, resulting in anemia. |
| Raisins and grapes | Contains toxins which can damage kidneys, cause kidney failure and lead to death. |
| Salt | Can cause electrolyte imbalance if eaten in suffient quantities. |
| Yeast dough (Unbaked) | Can expand in digestive system and cause bloat, leading to death. |
| Garlic | Similar to onions (above) except garlic is considered to be less toxic and safe for dogs when used in moderation. Often used to flavor food or treats but should be used sparingly. |
| Products sweetened with xylitol | This common artifical sweetener can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar resulting depression, loss of coordination, and seizures. |
| Additional Unsafe Foods for Your Dog-- |
| Items to Avoid | Reasons to Avoid Them |
| Baby Food | Could contain onion powder (see onions, above). |
| Cherry, Peach, Plum, & Apricot Pits, Apple & Pear Seeds | Contain cyanogenic glycosides which can result in cyanide poisoning. It is best to avoid all pits and seeds unless you know them to be safe. |
| Chicken or Fish Bones | Can splinter, causing lacerations and can also cause obstructions. |
| Green Potato Skins | Contains a toxin, solanine, which is only found in green tubers and green potato skins. Cooked potatoes are safe and nutritious for dogs. |
| Hops (used in making beer) | Causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures and death. |
| Milk and Dairy Products | Like people, some dogs can be lactose intolerant, resulting in diarrhea. |
| Mushrooms | Depending on the mushroom, toxic effects include damage to the liver, heart, or kidneys causing death. |
| Turkey Skin | The high fat content in turkey skin can cause acute Pancreatitis in dogs. |
| Raw Salmon | Those feeding their dogs a raw diet, please avoid raw salmon which can contain a parasite that causes an illness (SPD) with a 90% mortality rate. |
| Raw Eggs | Best to avoid since it can cause a depletion of biotin and be contaminated with salmonella. |
| Sugar | Bad for teeth and could contribute to the onset of Diabetes. |
| Tomatoes/Tomato Plants | Contains toxins known to cause dilated pupils, tremors and irregular heartbeat. The leaves and stems of tomato plants are the most toxic followed by unripe (green) tomatoes and ripe (red) tomatoes. |
| Walnuts & most nuts | Walnuts are poisonous to dogs. Many nuts are not good for dogs in general; their high phosporus content is said to possibly lead to bladder stones. |
| When in doubt, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour emergency hotline at (888) 426-4435.
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