Toxic Foods: It often comes naturally, the more we love our four legged friends, the more we want to pamper them. However, when we sometimes instinctively go to ‘treat’ them with some of our leftovers or share a portion of food we can sometimes be doing more harm than good.
Animals digest differently, and there are a number of regular human foods that can unknowingly be toxic to your animals. Some of the more dangerous human foods for animals, and their potential effects, are as follows:
Macadamia Nuts
Can cause vomiting, lethargy, hyperthermia, abdominal pain, stiff joints, lameness, tremors or paralysis of the hindquarters. Toxicity can office after eating as few as six macadamias kernels (nuts without the shell) while others may eat up to forty kernels before showing symptoms.
Onions
Can cause sickness to dogs, cats and also livestock. Onions contain the toxic ingredient thiosulphate. Animals affected by onion toxicity will develop haemolytic anaemia, where their red blood cells burst while circulating in the body. Initial symptoms are generally vomiting an diarrhoea and the poisoning can take a few days to show. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions. Onion poisoning can occur with a single ingestion of large quantities or with repeated meals containing small amounts of onion.
Xylitol
This is a popular sugar substitute found in many types of lollies, toothpaste, chewable vitamins, sugarless baked goods, and in sugar-free gum. As little as 3g (about five pieces of gum) can kill a 30kg dog. It can cause hypoglycaemia-induced seizures and sometimes fatal liver failure. Xylitol poisoning are occurring more often due to the increased use of this sweetener in many foods.
Grapes and Raisins
Within a few hours of eating these, affected dogs and cats will usually vomit and will be lethargic. They may develop diarrhea and will usually show increased water consumption. Partially digested grapes or raisins are sometimes seen in the dog’s vomit. The risk with grape and raisin toxicity is renal failure and this can be fatal.
Green Tomatoes
Leaves and stems (all green parts of the plant). The green tomato plant produces the toxin solanine. Solanine causes irritation of the stomach and intestinal lining resulting in gastrointestinal upset. Also avoid green potatoes.
Yeast Dough
This can expand after eating and result in gas, pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.
Corn Cobs
Can cause intestinal blockage requiring surgical removal.
Coffee, Tea and Chocolate
Contain caffeine, theobromine and theophylline which can cause vomiting and diarrhea and be toxic to the heart and nervous system. Can result in increased breathing and heart rate, restlessness and can affect the central nervous system.
The best way to love our pets is to feed them what will keep them healthy in the long run.
Ham
Honey baked ham is a popular food served during the festive season. If your beloved pet is giving you those “hungry eyes” while tucking into your Christmas ham (or at any other time of the year!) it’s best to avoid sharing it with them. Deli hams contain a lot of salt and most baked hams are full of sugar, neither of which is good for dogs.
