SHARES
One man’s meat may be another dog’s poison
We can all agree that dogs are definitely a man’s (or a woman’s) best friend. The love and affection shown by dogs is endless and heart-warming. I’m sure at some point during your dinner you see your cute little canine popping its head on the table surface, peeking hopefully that you would give it a bite of what you are eating. Just because something tastes good for us, doesn’t mean it would be good for your dogs too. However, there are also times when we might forget that some foods may not be suitable for them to eat. Hence, it is important for us to be careful when deciding to feed our dogs anything aside from the usual dog food. I have decided to list down some of the harmful food choices that one should never make for our beloved doggies!
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Milk/cheese
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Milk and cheese contain lactose which dogs are unable to break down because they lack of the required enzymes for it. In addition to that, dogs also do not have the proper enzyme to break down fats produced by cheese. Failure to refrain dogs from consuming milk or cheese will cause severe vomiting, diarrhoea and several other gastrointestinal problems. Just like humans, dogs can suffer from lactose intolerance too. However, they are still able to consume dairy products with very low lactose content. I wouldn’t take the risk, though!
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Grapes/raisins
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As of now, there isn’t a proper explanation about what component present in grapes and raisins can cause toxicity to dogs. However, consumption of such fruit could lead to kidney failure among dogs at a fast rate. It is said that death from kidney failure can happen as fast as within three to four days upon consumption. Other side effects include vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration and diminished appetite.
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Bacon
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Yes, bacon. Sure, bacon might be one of the best things ever to exist in our lives but such delicacy should be refrained from dogs at all cost. The fat content in bacon may potentially lead to pancreatitis in dogs, causing their pancreas to suffer from inflammation and malfunction. Additionally, dogs may also suffer from indigestion and problems related to nutrient absorption.
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Coffee/chocolate
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I am grouping these two together because they both contain the same type of component which could be fatal to dogs. Coffee and chocolate both contain caffeine, which is categorised as methylxanthines. Methylxanthines are known to be a type of stimulant that stimulates the nervous system in dogs and may lead to several harmful effects. Such effects include abdominal pains, vomiting, seizures and ultimately death.
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Onions/garlic
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Garlic and onions are basically grouped together as well since they both come from the same family. The only difference is that garlic generally causes more harm in comparison to onions, but both should be avoided as dog food at all costs! Onions have the ability to damage the red blood cells in dogs hence making them physically weaker and are unable to move much. On the other hand, garlic consumption would totally halt the production of red blood cells in dogs for days. Not only do the dogs suffer from severe tiredness, the dog’s urine will be visibly seen as orange to dark red in colour. In severe cases, blood transfusion is needed to save them.
Now that you know some of the things that shouldn’t be fed by dogs, have you considered giving the food mentioned above before? Are there any other types of dangerous food you know that you could share to us for the benefit of other dog-lovers? Drop a comment down below!
by Nicky Lee
Your typical neighbourhood ah pek who roams on the internet to satisfy his curiosity. Bold. Loud. Talkative. View all articles by Nicky Lee.
