Don’t do it! Don’t allow that adorable, hoping face, or that annoying, harassing yelp to sucker you into giving your doggo the last piece of Dairy Milk! Why? Because you know as well as we do that it’s terrible for them!
There are many foods – both natural and processed – that don’t agree with a dog’s stomach, with the results of them eating the wrong foods ranging from some nasty pop-offs to emergency vet visits (the likes of which you would want to compare pet insurance so that you have the best deal).
With all this in mind, here are five things your pup most certainly cannot eat:
Alcohol
Well, you would either have to be very cruel or very stupid to feed a dog alcohol. I mean, think about the effect it has on us humans: the grogginess, the multi-day hangover, the potentially life-ruining impact…
Now, think about what that could do to a small animal. Dogs consuming alcohol can lead to dangerously low blood pressure, heart arrhythmias and worse, so do not even think about giving your doggo any of that sickly sweet Baileys cocktail at Christmas time – it’s just not cricket!
Apple, cherry, plum & apricot seeds/pits
Although your furry friend can consume the fleshy part of the apple, the thing they have to stay away from is the core and seeds. Apple seeds contain cyanide, and whilst we all know it’s only in small amounts, it’s just best to avoid running the risk of harming your dog with a toxic chemical.
But apples aren’t the only fruit that contains this rather nasty toxin, with apricots, cherries and plum pits/seeds best to be avoided as they can have a really horrible effect on dogs which can, of course, lead to death.
Avocados
If you’ve been taking your dog down to the cafe, feeding them a little leftover smashed av only then end up wondering why they have diarrhoea well, yep, you have your culprit.
Avocados might be blissfully healthy for us humans, but for dogs not so much. Avocado contains a substance called persin which is directly responsible for causing diarrhoea and vomiting in poor pooches.
Turkey & chicken skin, ham & fatty meat cuts
These may just be your dog’s favourite things to eat: a bit of chicken skin there, a bit of honey ham on a hot Christmas arvo, but believe us – they are not good for your dog. Foods that contain a very high-fat content can cause acute pancreatitis – a life-threatening condition that can have the direst consequences.
Turkey bones are also a no-go, especially as they can cause indigestion or vomiting as well as splinter and damage their intestines. This can, unfortunately, puncture their stomach, something that can naturally be highly lethal for a little doggy.
Chocolate
Dogs love chocolate, probably more than us humans love it. But it’s also one of the leading causes of dog poisoning, due to a lethal substance called theobromine, with the substance being more prominent in darker chocolate. Chocolate also contains caffeine, which is also a no-go for doggies.
Dogs just cannot handle chocolate like humans, with baker’s chocolate and dark chocolate being the most dangerous, often creating symptoms like abnormal heart rhythm, seizures and vomiting (among others).
You should always be very wary of your pets, especially the dog-eating chocolate and call your vet if they have ingested any!
