PET PEEVES: See list of pets' 'forbidden foods'

Original article nwfdailynews.com
By: Dara Johns

Dear Dr. Johns,

Could you list for each of our pets (cats, dogs, rabbits, etc.) the food items we should not give them? A list of the “forbidden foods” for each of our pets. It can be a warning to everyone to prevent problems and save all of us from grief, sorrow, and veterinarian bills. I do not want anyone to lose a pet due to giving them the wrong item of food.

Thank you for a good column.

Frederick Schelm, Navarre

Dear Frederick,

Thanks for this reminder. Here is a list of foods that can cause illness in our pets and so should be put far, far away so our pets cannot get into them:

1. Alcohol. Pets are like children; alcohol should never be given to them. It can cause vomiting and diarrhea, central nervous system depression, and respiratory distress. Not to mention the possibility of liver disease.

2. Chocolate and coffee. I group these together because many of the symptoms are similar due to xanthines such as theobromine in chocolate and caffeine in coffee. They cause cardiac irregularities, vomiting and diarrhea, and excitability that can progress to seizures or coma

3. Xylitol. In dogs, it causes an insulin release that floods the system and results in severe hypoglycemia, and then it goes on to cause liver failure in the next 48 hours. Xylitol should be taken very seriously. Xylitol is in a lot of diet foods these days. It is even in one brand of reduced-calorie peanut butter. So, you have to be really careful and read the ingredients. Most of the toxicities are related to sugar-free candy and gum.

4. Grapes and raisins. They can cause kidney failure in dogs. The cause of the toxicity is not known and it does not seem to be dose-dependent. In other words, a dog could eat a few grapes and go into renal failure, and another dog could eat a bunch of grapes and not show any symptoms. It is best to treat all grapes and raisins as if they are extremely toxic to dogs.

5. Avocado. This is a problem in birds, rabbits, horses, and ruminants. Birds and rabbits can develop heart problems that can lead to death from this fruit. Horses and ruminants can develop swollen heads and necks.

6. Macadamia nuts. These nuts can cause weakness, depression, vomiting, and tremors in dogs.

7. Onions, garlic, and chives. These vegetables can cause gastrointestinal irritation at best, and in the worst-case scenario, they can cause damage to red blood cells, resulting in a fatal illness. Cats are more sensitive to onions than dogs, but both can be harmed.

8. Salty snacks. Too much salt can cause vomiting and diarrhea. It can also cause an imbalance of electrolytes and in large amounts, brain swelling that can result in depression and seizures.

This list is probably not complete, but these are the main food toxins that we as pet owners should definitely keep away from our pets. Thanks for the suggestion, Frederick.