Some of the most common questions we get at Happy Pets concern dogs eating chocolate and other foods that people have heard that may or may not be deadly to their pet. So just as a helpful reminder, here are some common foods that pets get exposed to that can be harmful or even life threatening.  Please note that this list is far from inclusive and doesn’t even address things like bones or food allergies, which is beyond the scope of this article.  If you have any questions, please be sure to talk with your veterinarian.

Chocolate

Chocolate contains theobromines and caffeine which, unfortunately, are what dogs are sensitive to.  The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more toxic it can be.  For example, milk chocolate contains 6 mg. per oz. of caffeine and 44-56 mg. per oz. of theobromine compared to baking chocolate that contains 33-47 mg. per oz. of caffeine and 393 mg. per oz. of theobromine!

White chocolate contains negligible amounts of these compounds.

Symptoms to look out for include hyperactivity, increased heart rate, tremors and potentially death.  Other effects seen with chocolate overdose include vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, increased urination and lethargy.  The best treatment is early treatment; call your local veterinary hospital as soon as you become aware that your pet friend helped themselves to chocolate.  The hospital will determine if treatment is needed based on your pets weight, amount of chocolate, and the type of chocolate ingested.

Onions

Pieces of onion, onion powder or even cooked onion can cause damage to red blood cells.  The toxic substance in onions cause red blood cells to burst, thus causing an anemia in both dogs and cats.  To get an idea of how many onions are needed before toxic effects are seen, 0.6 pounds of onion in a 10 pound dog is considered toxic. Be careful when feeding your pet commercial baby food, some of them contain onion powder which has been reported to cause toxicity in cats.

The major signs to look out for include vomiting, weakness and pale gums.  Sometimes the pet may appear jaundiced as well. Early treatment is important, vomiting is induced if ingestion occurred not more than 2 hours ago, afterwards, your pet will be monitored with regular blood work to check for anemia.

Rising bread dough

Ingestion of rising bread dough can be life threatening to dogs.  Once ingested, body heat will cause the dough to rise in the stomach to several times its original size.  As the dough rises, ethanol is produced which is also toxic to pets.  The immediate treatment is to get that dough out of there either by inducing the pet to vomit, or surgery if it is too large in size to vomit it up.  Signs to look out for include stomach pain, bloating, vomiting, depression, incoordination and “drunk like” walking.

Grapes and Raisins

Some types of grapes and raisins have been shown to cause kidney failure in dogs.  The amount of grapes/ raisins needed to be consumed to cause kidney disease is unclear and it can vary per dog.  It is just safe to avoid them completely.  If you know your dog has eaten a large quantity of grapes or raisins, he needs to be seen right away.  Vomiting will be induced and activated charcoal can be given to absorb any remaining toxins.

To help protect the kidneys, IV fluids is recommended for 48 hours.  During this time, blood work will need to be done periodically to check kidney function.  Unfortunately, there are no immediate signs to look for with grape toxicity.  The typical signs of kidney failure include lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, but these may not be apparent until a few days after ingesting grapes or raisins.

Tobacco Products

Tobacco products such as cigars, cigarettes, snuff, nicotine gum or transdermal nicotine patches all contain varying amounts of Nicotine which can be toxic.  Signs usually develop quickly with in 15 to 45 minutes after ingestion.

Signs can include vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, or hyperactivity.  With higher doses or longer exposure times, signs of muscle weakness, twitching or seizures may be seen.

Because signs develop quickly, if a pet is left unattended for long periods of time before an owner is aware that tobacco products were ingested, nicotine toxicity can cause death secondary to cardiac arrest or respiratory paralysis if left untreated.

Xylitol

Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar substitute found in many sugar free gums, candies, and other foods.  Dogs appear sensitive to xylitol and ingestion can cause a life threatening low blood sugar, liver failure and bleeding disorders.  Immediate treatment is necessary to manage the low blood sugar (which can lead to coma or death) and blood transfusions may be needed as well to control the bleeding disorder.

Again, if you have any questions, talk with your veterinarian or feel free to give us a call at Happy Pets @ (661) 295-9972.