Human Foods Dangerous for Pets

Which human foods are dangerous for dogs and cats.

This list should be printed and hung up on the fridge to alert family members to the dangers of feeding human foods to your pets.

• Grapes/raisins- kidney toxic     
• Onions/ Garlic- blood toxic   
• Moldy foods- fungal disease  
• Macadamia nuts- Neurotoxic 
• Cooked chicken bones- GI obstruction  
• Corn cobs- GI obstruction
• Sugarless gum- Seizures 
• Bread Dough- GI obstruction
• Chocolate- heart and Nervous

Below is a overview of the Restricted food items:

Grapes/ raisins- This fruit is very toxic and cause acute renal failure (ARD).  The lowest recorded amounts that caused ARD were:  

Grapes: 0.7 oz/kg;
 Raisins 0.11 oz/kg 

Onions/ Garlic- This plant is in the same family as garlic called Allium.  This can cause hemolytic anemia in both dogs and cats.  Hemolytic anemia is a condition, where red blood cells are destroyed causing the animal to be blood deficient.  Foods containing any form of onions or even onion powder should be avoided.  One study found that baby food containing onion powder caused toxicity in a cat.  Severely affected pets may need blood transfusions to replace the blood.   

Cooked Chicken bones- When chicken bones are cooked they change confirmation.  When chewed the fragments become very sharp and can cut the esophagus or get stuck. 

Corn cobs- Unknown to most people, these left over remnants are very common in dogs for causing obstructions in the gastro intestinal tract.  They usually cannot pass and surgical removal is required. 

Bread dough- This is caused when dogs eat the dough prior to rising.  The heat in the stomach causes the bread to rise which causes the stomach to bloat and can be life threatening.  The rising dough produces ethanol which is toxic as well.  The signs are vomiting, bloat, falling over and lethargy. 

Macadamia Nuts- These nuts cause central nervous system problems such as trouble walking and tremors/shaking which can lead to overheating (hyperthermia).    

Sugarless gum- There is a new sugar additive called Xylitol which is very toxic to dogs and is found in many candies, gum and other foods.  The additive causes hypoglycemia, liver disease and they are unable to clot their blood (coagulopathic).      

Moldy foods- Mold produces a toxin called tremorgenic mycotoxins which affects the brain.  They can cause seizures, muscle tremors and vomiting.  If your pet eats mold and starts to show symptoms, make sure and save the food item because it can be sent to a diagnostic labs for testing.   

Chocolate-There are many different types of chocolate found in the kitchen.  The most dangerous part of the chocolate is the cocoa which contains theobromine and caffeine.  Dark chocolate and baking chocolate have the highest amounts of these toxic ingredients.  One rule of thumb is that the more bitter the chocolate the more toxic.  They cause problems in the nervous system, cardiovascular system and can result in death.  Most common signs include: increased heart rate, vomiting and tremors.