What Kind Of Human Food Can Dogs Not Eat

Vet In Clear Lake Texas

A well-balanced diet should take into consideration your dogs age, size and activity level. All dogs need protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins and minerals in their diet. Store-bought foods are prepared with these nutritional requirements in mind. However, if you are making your dog food at home, its wise to consult your veterinarian to ensure your dog is getting the specific nutrients they need.

As a veterinary hospital serving Clear Lake and Webster, Texas, we are passionate about pet health and wellness. While we dont encourage feeding dogs human food from the table, we are supportive of a healthy, homemade diet. If there is a food you are wondering about that is not on the list, give us a call at Nasa Pet Hospital and well be happy to let you know if it is safe for your pup.

What If Your Dog Eats One Of These Foods

The first step is to stop and observe. In some cases, the food will do little more than cause your discomfort. In others, though, you should definitely call your vet. If your dog is acting unusual, get him or her into the vet as soon as you can so that your vet can check to see if his or her symptoms are in line with those that are common after eating one of these foods.

If you cant get your vet, its a good idea to get a dog to an emergency clinic. Doing so will allow you to figure out your next move. If time is of the essence, though, youll want to contact an animal poison hotline to figure out if you need to induce vomiting in your dog. Note that this isnt always the right choice and that doing so unnecessarily can hurt your dog.

In some cases, you may even have to take your dog in for surgery. As such, its important to remember that prevention should always be your goal. If you can keep your dog from eating something that can hurt him, you wont have to worry so much about what to do in an emergency.

Raw Or Undercooked Meat

Raw meat can contain Escherichia coli and Salmonella, which are types of bacteria that can cause food poisoning in dogs and humans. Cooking the meat properly kills the bacteria.

In recent years, certain manufacturers have promoted the benefits of raw meat for dogs, and some boutique products contain it.

It is important to understand that raw meat diets pose health risks to dogs and may not provide a complete nutritional balance.

Also Check: How Long Does Dog Food Stay Fresh

Human Food Is Not Always Dog

Foods that are perfectly suitable for human consumption may be toxic to your dog, posing a serious threat to their health and well-being. Some foods can cause vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomach, weakened breathing, kidney problems, seizures, and even death.

Why? Because a dogs metabolism is different from our metabolism. Metabolism is the process of breaking down food and turning it into energy. Your dogs body cant process all types of food the way your body can, so foods that are just fine for you can be bad news for your dog.

Please note, although were attempting to add every food we can find that is potentially unsafe for dogs to this article, there are foods that we may miss. Dont consider a food safe to feed to your dog just because its not on this list of foods bad for dogs.

Do your research if you are uncertain about a particular food. If you are worried about something your pet consumed, please call your vet immediately.

Can Dogs Eat Rice

As omnivores, dogs can eat both plant and animal-based foods. Brown rice is a fantastic option, as its an easily digestible carbohydrate. Rice is a great simple carbohydrate to feed dogs if theyre feeling unwell, as its less likely to upset their system and allow time for them to recover. Pasta is also a healthy alternative to rice.

Also Check: Canned Dog Food Expiration Date

Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pomeranians

Now we have 3 lists to help manage the types of human food you can always feed your Pomeranians, the ones they could eat sometimes, and the food that you may choose to give your Pomeranians occasionally. This final list is human foods that your Pomeranians must NEVER eat under any circumstances because they can harm your Pomeranians at best and be deadly at worst.

List 4 foods include: macadamias, walnuts, pecans, grapes , currants, raisins, chives, leeks, shallots, garlic, onions, chocolate, coffee grounds, anything containing caffeine, cinnamon, wild mushrooms, cherries, seeds, fruit pits, tomato sauce, yeast dough, anything with xylitol, and all restaurant food.

Foods That Are Bad For Dogs

You probably want to share all your delicious people food with your pup. After all, who can resist those puppy-dog eyes begging for a morsel? But hold off on spoiling your fur baby. Sometimes being a good doggy parent is knowing when to say, No. Some foods are just downright bad for dogs and can cause all sorts of health problems. Even if your dog has eaten these foods in the past with no problems, they could be causing serious issues that you might not be aware of. Here are a few foods you should never feed dogs, no matter how adorably they beg.

DogTime recommends you try this dog food!

Recommended Reading: Does Dry Dog Food Go Bad

What Are Dogs Not Allowed To Eat

Theres a long list of foods that dogs arent allowed to eat. The most pressing are foods that contain onions, garlic, grapes, or xylitol. Also important to avoid are raw fish, cooked bones, and apple seeds. Even peach pits are good to avoid, as are a variety of other foods like raw bread dough and even tomato leaves. As a rule, though, its important to avoid giving your dog too much food from the table as doing so will not only cause your dog to gain weight, but it will put your dog in danger of consuming unknown ingredients that could cause major health problems for him or her.

Other Foods That May Be Harmful To Your Dog

The following foods have not been proven deadly to dogs, but they can still be harmful.

To be safe, you may want to avoid feeding the following foods to your dog.

• Onions, garlic and chives: These can damage a dogs red blood cells and cause anemia. In severe cases, your dog could require a blood transfusion (
• 27 ).
• Apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and plums: Their seeds or pits contain cyanide, which is poisonous. Eating them can lead to some pretty serious side effects, including digestive problems .

Summary

Onions, garlic, chives, dairy products, macadamia nuts and fruits with pits may also be harmful to your dog.

Don’t Miss: Is Caesars A Good Dog Food

Candy Gum Peanut Butter And Baked Goods

The real culprit when it comes to these sweets is an ingredient called xylitol. It causes an insulin surge through your dogs body that can lead to a drop in blood sugar and liver failure. Symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures, and eventually death. Several of these foods, especially peanut butter, are sometimes made without xylitol, so check the list of ingredients in your foods before you share them with your dog.

Human Food Hacks For Your Dog

Dog treats and quality dog food can be expensive. Adding healthy human food to your dogs routine can save money and add some healthy nutrients into their lives.

Instead of buying pricey training treats, boil some chicken breasts and cut them into cubes. Your dog will go crazy for these tasty treats and youll enjoy some serious savings.

Dried fruits like blueberries and apples, or dried veggies like carrots and sweet potatoes also make great treats. Using a dehydrator to remove the moisture will allow you to easily store and transport these kinds of treats as well.

If you have to buy budget dog food for your dog but want to add some much-needed protein and nutrients to their diet, try adding fresh meat and fish.

Most healthy dogs are perfectly able to digest raw meat without issue. Just remember to remove all bones and skin.

If your dog is immunocompromised or you dont feel comfortable feeding raw food, you can always boil the meat and then add it to your dogs normal kibble.

To add an even bigger nutrient punch, puree some dark leafy greens and antioxidant-rich berries. Mix the puree with some low sodium bone broth and add it to your dogs meal like a gravy.

The most important thing to remember when supplementing your dogs normal diet with human food is to mix it up. Change the meat type and veggie variety every few days to make sure your dog gets the wide array of nutrients they need to thrive.

Recommended Reading: How To Mix Dry And Wet Dog Food

Can Dogs Eat Raw Meat & Fish

Raw meat and fish can become contaminated with bacteria, such as E. coli, which can cause food poisoning. Additionally, some fish can contain a parasite that causes fish disease or salmon poisoning disease .

Symptoms of food poisoning include vomiting, fever, and enlarged lymph nodes. Cooked, unseasoned fish is perfectly fine because the cooking process kills the parasites. Be sure to remove all bones to avoid choking or internal organ risks.

Feeding raw meat is not recommended because there is a risk of food-borne disease for the dog, as well as the person preparing the food. Although raw diets for dogs are increasing in popularity, organizations like the FDA and American Veterinary Medical Association advise against feeding them.

What Dogs Are At Risk

Dogs of any breed, shape, or size are at risk for ingesting something harmful. However, some dogs may be more prone to eating things they shouldnt based on their personalities. While all dogs need to be protected from bad foods and toxic substances, dogs who are super curious or love to put things in their mouths may need closer supervision.

You May Like: Gastrointestinal Low Fat

Human Foods May Be The Key To Your Dogs Health

It is shocking to see how many pet foods on the marketeven most of the premium-priced brandsuse feed-grade ingredients and dangerous preservatives. Rather than feeding your dog highly processed kibble or canned dog foods, we at JustFoodForDogs believe you are much better off feeding your pet healthy human-grade proteins, vegetables, and fruits.

Thats why one of the best ways to keep your dog healthy is to join our movement by feeding whole-food meals made fresh from USDA-certified ingredients and balanced to meet your dogs nutritional needs. These veterinarian-developed prepared meals are also a great answer to the question What human foods can puppies eat? since many whole-food recipes like chicken and white rice and fish and sweet potato are particularly puppy-friendly.

So whats the answer to the age-old question of what human foods are healthy for dogs? Start by checking our lists above. Use common sense. And look for dog foods that are prepared using only fresh, dog-healthy human-grade ingredients.

Grapes And Raisins: Cant Eat

You should never feed grapes or raisins to your dog.

Grapes and raisins contain toxic compounds that are harmful to dogs. They have the potential to lead to rapid kidney failure and death .

Even small amounts of grapes and raisins can make your dog sick, so its important to avoid giving them to your dog altogether.

Read Also: Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat Dog Food

What Nutrition Do Dogs Need

Dogs are carnivorous, meaning the primary component of their diet should be meat. But they arent obligate carnivoresor only meat-eating. In the wild, dogs survive mainly off of prey animals and some seasonal vegetables. Wild dogs will also occasionally eat fruits. When youre deciding on your dogs diet, it should primarily revolve around these food items.

Coffee Tea Other Caffeine Products

Coffee grounds and coffee beans, tea as well as soda and energy drinks can be dangerous for dogs.

The Pet Poison Helpline, a national licensed animal poison center, explains: “Pets are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than people are. While one to two laps of coffee, tea or soda will not contain enough caffeine to cause poisoning in most pets, the ingestion of moderate amounts of coffee grounds, tea bags or 1-2 diet pills can easily cause death in small dogs or cats.”

Symptoms of caffeine poisoning include “mild to severe hyperactivity, restlessness, vomiting, tachycardia , hypertension , abnormal heart rhythms, tremors, hyperthermia seizures, and collapse,” within one to two hours of exposure, the center notes.

• The 25 Most Obedient Mid-Size Dog Breeds

Recommended Reading: Darwin Dog Food Recall

Can Dogs Eat Cheese

Since dogs are not able to easily digest milk, its recommended to not feed them cheese. Blue cheese is particularly dangerous as it contains roquefortine C, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea. If the case gets worse, your dog may experience tremors, seizures and a high temperature. Visit the vet immediately if you think your dog has eaten blue cheese. Cheese boards are popular at Christmas time so be careful to keep this out of reach from your dog who may be tempted to give it a try.

A Little Variety Is Good But Little Is The Key Word

When it comes to treating your dog with human foods, its best to do so in moderation. Treats of any kind can cause excess weight gain when added to a diet thats already meeting your dogs caloric needs.

Still, your dog will appreciate the variety provided by a healthy human treat now and then. Just be sure you ask yourself what can dogs eat? and what can dogs not eat? before sharing your meal with them.

Also Check: Darwin Raw Dog Food Reviews

Can Dogs Eat Avocado

Avocados contain persin, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and heart muscle damage. The most dangerous part of an avocado is the pit because it is a choking hazard, and it contains a lot of persin. If you think your dog has ingested an avocado pit, call your vet asap. If your dog ate a small piece of avocado, they should be okay, but make sure you monitor your dog and call your vet for further care.

List Of Safe And Unsafe Foods For Dogs

< p> < strong> Please include attribution to kingdukes.com with this graphic.< /strong> < br /> < br /> < a href=’https://www.kingdukes.com/blogs/news/can-dogs-eat-human-food’> < img src=’https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1938/8295/files/Human_Foods_Dogs_Can_and_Cant_Eat.jpg?v=1582305973′ alt=’List of Human Foods Dogs Can and Cant Eat’ width=’2000′ border=’0′ /> < /a> < /p>

Recommended Reading: Can You Buy Dog Food With Foodstamps

Milk Cheese Ice Cream And Other Dairy Products

You may have slipped your dog a pill in a piece of cheese, but dogs arent really built to process cow milk products. They lack the enzyme to break down milk sugar, and while some dogs are more able to handle dairy than others, many dogs are lactose intolerant. Dairy can cause dogs to vomit, have diarrhea, or develop gastrointestinal diseases. The high fat content can lead to pancreatitis, as is the case with fatty meats. Dont share your dairy with your dog. More ice cream for you!

What To Do If Your Dog Eats A Harmful Food

The best way to ensure your dog doesnt eat anything harmful is to keep these foods out of reach.

To minimize the risk, make sure that you dont leave these foods on countertops or tables, in purses or other places where your dog could access them.

If you know your dog has ingested something toxic, consult your veterinarian immediately or call the pet poison hotline.

Treatment will vary depending upon your dogs symptoms and the type of food they was exposed to.

You should never treat or medicate a dog unless a licensed veterinarian advises you to do so.

Summary

Also Check: Softening Dry Dog Food

Can Dogs Eat Fruits And Vegetables

Most fruits and vegetables are not only safe for dogs to eat but are delicious and can provide healthy nutrients in their diet. Although its not a great idea to give your dog a large amount of any human food, a small amount of watermelon, mango, or broccoli can be used as a yummy and healthy treat for your dog.

Watermelon can be an especially sweet and refreshing option on a hot summer day! Just remember that whenever you give your dog fruits or vegetables, its important to remove the seeds or pits, as they can be a choking hazard and in some cases toxic.

Heres a list of healthy fruits and veggies most dogs love:

• Cantaloupe

• Raw or undercooked meat and poultry are not safe for dogs or humans.
• Bacon, deli meat, and other highly processed meats are not good for dogs.
• Seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder, and nutmeg are toxic to dogs, so remove any seasoned skin before feeding meat to your dog.

Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog

What human food can dogs eat is just as important to know as what not to feed fido. You know that grapes and raisins are off the menu, but so are onions, garlic, avocado, and anything containing the sugar substitute xylitol, warns both Dr. Ryan and Dr. Hohenhaus. Dogs may go nuts for peanut butter, but check the labelsome brands are sweetened with xylitol. Both doctors also advise that human food that is not a specific part of your dogs daily food regimen should not take up more than 10 per cent of their daily diet.

Don’t Miss: Can You Purchase Dog Food With Ebt