Dog owners are in love with their dog all the time and take care of them and we often look for the nutrient dense homemade food for their meals. Homemade meals are certainly safer option than the packaged foods and it also provides qualitative ingredients and at the same time avoids harmful additives or preservatives present in the packaged foods.
Read More: why you should prefer homemade food over processed food for pets here.
Dog being always the baby of the house, pet owners always try to feed them with love and food that is meant to meet their daily dose of chirpiness. Dogs are demanding in terms of love and health. One need to make sure to have a proper meal time, nap times and out-door play time. This can be overwhelming and pet owners can make a big mistake here by giving them certain food items which could be home-made yet hazardous to them.
Please note that a food item which looks absolutely harmless to you and is included in your daily diet can turn out to be problematic food for dogs. Dogs love nibbling and they put anything and everything in their mouth that comes around it. As per the research done around the globe, it has been found that there are various food items which were given to dogs by their pet owners as a part of their meals and has created various health sufferings for their dogs and eventually they died from ingestion of these items. Does that mean we need to stop making the good homemade meal for them and start giving them the packed food replacing all meals?
Not Really; Read More: why one should avoid market available processed foods for your pets as far as possible.
What Food Items Need To Be Avoided In Your Dogs Diet?
- Alcohol
- Raisins & Grapes
- Onion & Garlic
- Chocolate
- Avocado
In this blog, we have a created a small list of items that should be avoided in your dog’s meal to avoid any health problems that they might suffer needlessly:
- Alcohol
Alcohol is something that is an ABSOLUTE NO-NO for dogs. You should not give alcohol to your pets under any circumstances. Not even in small amounts. Dogs are way more sensitive as compared to humans in case of alcohol consumption. This can severely damage them and in some cases alcohol consumption can lead to death. Please take your pet to veterinarian immediately if you suspect of alcohol poisoning in them. Some of the symptoms are difficult breathing, unfocused walk, vomit, diarrhea, convulsion or tremors, coma and gradually death.
- Raisins and grapes
Raisins and grapes belongs to the same family for fruits. World being aware of the benefits of eating raisins and grapes, these are proved fatal for your dog if given on a regular basis to them. Grapes and raisins contain a chemical which is not good for the dogs. Although, not a single grape or raisin is harmful to them but if given on regular basis and in large quantity then it can upset their stomach, they may vomit throughout the day and eventually will lead to their kidney failure. Best advise to be given here is that do not test their digestive capacity here over a raisin or grape. It is best to be altogether avoided at all times.
- Onion and Garlic
Onion and garlic is something which is very common in every household as it is widely used since centuries. For humans most of the meals contains onion and garlic. On one hand onion and garlic is considered as a good intake for human but it contains a chemical which if infused in dog’s blood can damage the red blood cells and can cause them anemia. Onion and garlic are harmful for dogs in every form, be it raw, cooked or in powered form. Even the small amount can lead to severe damages in the longer run. It is best to avoid them all the time.
- Chocolate
Research shows that chocolates are fatal for dogs. It is been treat to humans but never share your chocolate with your dog. It is also observed that the darker the chocolate more harmful are the compounds of it. As the compounds are higher in concentration. The indigestion of chocolate can cause them diarrhea, vomiting, rapid breathing and can even give them seizures. This also includes Xylito which mainly found in the sugar free candies, gummies and in various baked products.
- Avocado
Avocado brags itself because the world is now-a-days going head over heels on this fruit. It is also known as the Indian coconut. Avocado is being praised by all health nutritionist and health wellness coaches. As it is high nutritional for the human, it is fatal for many animals including dogs. Avocados includes a chemical called as persin which is toxic for animal’s health. The ingestion of avocado can lead to vomiting and diarrhea as the dog’s stomach will take longer time to digest the non-digestible. Along with this, if the dogs are eating Avocado unregulated there is a high chance of the pit getting chocked up. Even if the pit is getting swallowed it won’t be digestible by them. Over all a risky fruit for them to have.
These are the top 5 foods we believe that are very risky to give to your pet. An alternative can be chosen for the above list. It is always better to incorporate lean meat in to your dog’s daily meal which is cooked completely and is without any masala or seasonings. Apart from meat, pet owners can include cooked eggs, curd without salt or sugar, carrots and green beans which are in boiled state.
To sum up, it is always essential to consult with your dog’s vet before making any changes in your dog’s diet. Their diet should be according to their age, breed and also depends on the environmental factors but also keep in mind the health history of the dog. In case, a particular food item is supposedly good for their daily intake but it is causing health issues to them then please consult with the vet and remove that ingredient from their food bowl immediately. Avoiding these five common food items — onions and garlic, grapes and raisins, chocolate, avocado, and xylitol — will help keep your dog healthy and happy.