10 Toxic Foods for Dogs – Ranked

What Food is Poisonous to Dogs?

Most people love dogs, and most dogs love people. These four-legged natural antidepressants show love by being obedient, being a cute companion, and being funny.

In return, people ensure that these adorable creatures live their lives to the fullest. They go as far as grooming and taking walks, to as simple as bathing and, of course, the dogs’ ultimate favorite, feeding.

Dog owners know that dogs must be fed before doing anything else, literally. The smell of dinner or even just the sound of dog food being opened makes their ears prick up, and mouths drool.

However, not everything humans eat is safe for these furry creatures. Listed below are the top 10 foods that are definitely toxic and can kill dogs.

Avocado

Deemed as one of the ideal foods for healthy living, avocado ultimately found its place in every weight-conscious person’s grocery list.

In fact, its versatility led people to make avocado-on-toast as breakfast a trend. However, dogs find this trend very deadly, and for a good reason.

All parts of avocado (fruit, seed, and leaves) contain a fungicidal compound named ‘persin.’ This toxin causes vomiting and diarrhea for dogs.

Furthermore, when ingested in large amounts, avocado fruit leads to cases of pancreatitis and gastrointestinal problems.

Onions and Garlic

These culinary condiments complement almost every dish in the world. It enhances their scent and flavor, making it more appealing to people.

For this reason, the demand for onions and garlic worldwide is always high. The same could not be said for dogs, as these furry babies find them very displeasing and toxic.

On the contrary, dogs consider all members of the Allium family (e.g., garlic, onions, chives, leeks) as toxic.

The presence of N-propyl disulfide compounds in them causes the dogs’ red blood cells to be unable to carry oxygen. Excessive consumption leads to anemia, organ failure, and possibly even death.

Alcoholic Beverages

People doing something under the influence of alcohol at night leads to a ton of regret in the morning. But alcohol, whether ingested on purpose or by accident, incites complications in the dogs’ bodies.

In other words, dogs cannot take alcoholic beverages like humans do.

The bodies of our canine friends consider alcohol as toxic. In fact, dogs absorb alcohol very quickly. When ingested, it leads them to experience various complications such as vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, and even seizures.

If left untreated, it may even result in death. So don’t indulge them with alcohol to solve their problems. They don’t have one in the first place.

Macadamia Nuts

Nuts, in general, are a healthy snack. Easily eaten and rich in protein, some people actually use them as a substitute for dog treats.

But be warned that some nuts, specifically Macadamia, are very toxic to dogs.

Note that most nuts contain various fats. Macadamia nuts, in particular, overflow with it. A dog eating it results in pancreatitis, depression, hypothermia, and vomiting within 12 hours.

Even though small amounts of nuts can be fed to dogs, it’s better to leave Macadamia nuts out of the list. On the contrary, to further lessen the risk, it’s best to not feed them any type of nut at all.

Caffeine

Caffeine, without a doubt, energizes people and makes them more active. For this reason, people take them when they experience a surge of inactivity and laziness.

But the same cannot be said for dogs who try to take in foods or beverages infused with caffeine.

Dogs drinking coffee, tea, or soda even by accident resulted in excessive hyperactivity and increased heartbeat rate.

This leads to a series of complications like vomiting, shaking, tremors, uncontrollable muscle movements, and even collapse. Never let them have a taste of these types of drinks to avoid risks in the future.

Chocolate

Known to most but not all, dogs treat chocolate as toxic. These classic treats, famous for almost all occasions, contain theobromine.

Similar to that of caffeine, theobromine induces cases of hyperactivity, which leads to faster heartbeat rates. In addition, dogs cannot metabolize the compound like humans do, which results in toxic build-up in their bodies.

The level of toxicity of chocolate to dogs depends on their body size and the amount they consume. Small dogs are more susceptible to toxicity.

Large amounts of chocolate to large dogs has the same negative effects. In fact, cases of dogs dying from eating chocolate surface from time to time.

So note that they cannot eat something as sweet as chocolate simply because they cannot metabolize it.

Yeast or Yeast Dough

As one of the revolutionary discoveries in the culinary world, yeast gave way for people to enjoy softer and fluffier breads and pastries.

Indeed, through the process of fermentation, it also serves as a key ingredient for some alcoholic beverages. That process, however, should not be present in dogs.

The dog’s consumption of yeast dough incites the yeast to continue rising in its stomach. The fermentation process also occurs here, which leads to ethanol production in toxic levels.

In other words, the continuous rising of the dough leaves the dog feeling bloated, and levels of ethanol surface in its bloodstream.

Severe cases of this lead to the dog suffering from seizures and possibly even coma or death.

Grapes and Raisins

Mysteriously, dogs’ bodies treat grapes and raisins as toxic. Nobody knows why. Consuming them leads to kidney failure, as cases indicate.

Multiple theories suggest various reasons why dogs don’t react well to these foods. But, until science discovers the real reason, grapes and raisins should not find their way into the dogs’ stomach.

Fat Trimmings and Fatty Foods

As tempting as it may be, feeding fatty foods to dogs poses quite a danger. Aside from the risk of a heart attack, it also leads to dogs experiencing pancreatitis and liver problems.

In addition, smaller dogs are more susceptible to having these problems upon consumption of fat. Nonetheless, try avoiding feeding them such.

Xylitol-Containing Foods

Don’t be alarmed by its name, as daily items such as toothpaste contain this compound. Dubbed as a sugar substitute, this chemical finds itself in various children’s treats such as gum and candy.

Furthermore, other household items such as mouthwash or even daily vitamins contain xylitol. Dogs, on the other hand, react differently when it ingests it.

Like humans, dogs release insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. But xylitol in dogs stimulates their pancreas to release high levels of insulin.

This results in hypoglycemia within just 60 minutes from consumption, as dogs absorb xylitol in their bloodstream rapidly. Additionally, if left untreated a few days after consumption, liver malfunction occurs and possibly may lead to death.

In the end, the tendency to eat whatever they find makes dogs very susceptible to harm. Even if it’s just out of curiosity, they tend to eat anything they get their noses on.

As mentioned, some of these foods can actually kill dogs if not treated immediately. Knowing and guiding them on what they should eat and not eat helps these furry babies live their lives danger-free.

After all, as a dog-owner, who wouldn’t want to see these creatures be happy, right?

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Author

JP Velasquez

A guy who loves to write whatever comes to mind. Self-proclaimed dog lover with two dogs. He dreams of becoming a published writer someday. Currently working on how to make that dream a reality.