Many foods that are safe for you can be dangerous for your pets, so resist the temptation to feed your furry friend all that you eat. Here’s a list of common foods that can be toxic for pets and should be kept away from their food bowls. Knowing this can help save the life of your precious ball of fur:
- Chocolate-based foods: Who does not love chocolates? Surely we all do, but that doesn’t make them any less harmful to our pets. Chocolates are majorly made of cocoa, one of the common foods that can be toxic for pets. The side-effects of consuming cocoa-based foods for pets include a range of symptoms like lethargy and digestive issues, and it can even prove fatal. Keep your pets away from chocolates, cakes, pastries, and other foods made from cocoa.
- Xylitol-based foods: Xylitol is a kind of natural plant-based alcohol, and the sweet-tasting, natural flavor is used in a lot of sugar-free foods. Xylitol is safe for humans, but it isn’t the same for pets. Xylitol is especially dangerous for dogs, as it can release insulin in the blood and cause a drastic reduction in blood sugar levels that can lead to coma and even cause death. Xylitol poisoning can cause lethargy, an inability to move, and vomiting in pets.
- Alcohol: Alcohol causes the same effects on pets as in humans, but pets need very little alcohol to experience the symptoms of an overdose. Offering any kind of alcohol to animals and birds at home is dangerous, and it can cause instability, decreased coordination, breathing issues, and very high blood acid levels.
- Avocados: In the list of common foods that can be toxic for pets are avocados. If you have birds at home, this is the one fruit you should never offer to them. Avocados cause instant cardiovascular damage and death in birds, and the fruit is also known to cause problems like swollen head and neck in animals like domesticated sheep, donkeys, horses, and rabbits.
- Raisins and grapes: Raisins and grapes, when offered in large quantities, can cause lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration in dogs. Extreme cases of toxicity can also lead to kidney damage in your pet.
- Macadamia nuts: Another common food that can be toxic for pets is macadamia nuts. These nuts are dangerous to both cats and dogs, and the symptoms of macadamia toxicity include depression, tremors, vomiting, and hyperthermia in dogs. In cats, they can cause digestive disorders and nervous system failure.
All these common foods can be toxic for pets if ingested. Immediate treatment is required if your pet consumes any of these foods, so rush to your vet right away. Also, whenever you’re trying a new kind of food for your furry friend, offer it in small quantities and check whether it’s safe for your pet.
