Food You Should Never Feed Your Pets

Everyone learned as kids that there are certain things you are not supposed to feed domestic pets. But the list of potentially dangerous foods is longer than you might expect. Here are some of the most dangerous food you should never feed your pets, even if they are harmless or enjoyable for humans to eat.

Chocolate, Coffee and Caffeine

All of these are bad for pets, because they all contain a group of substances known as methylxanthines, which is found in cacao seeds. Methylxanthines can cause pets to experience seizures, tremors, hyperactivity, excessive urination, dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea so it’s best to avoid feeding pets anything that contains these substances. Baking chocolate and dark chocolate should especially be avoided, as they contained high levels of methylxanthines.

Milk and Dairy

Because pets don’t posses a significant amount of lactase, the enzyme which breaks down lactose, they can easily be harmed by dairy products, resulting in diarrhea or problems with digestion.

Garlic and Chives

Garlic and Chives cause gastrointestinal damage to pets, and can even effect red blood cells. Cats are particularly susceptible, while dogs suffer fewer negative effects.

Avocado

Avocado is dangerous if consumed by ruminants, animals such as sheep and goats. It also effects birds and rabbits negatively, causing cardiovascular damage or even death among birds, and resulting in swelling around the head and neck in sheep and goats.

These are just some food you should never feed your pets. If you are worried that you might be feeding your pet something which is unhealthy for it, you should consult a veterinarian. Obviously a bird won’t be negatively effected by the same foods as a dog, so make sure you do research on what your particular kind of pet should and should not eat. If you’d like to learn more about food that you should never feed your pets, simply contact us here at Andes-Straley Veterinary Hospital and we will be happy to help.