Foods that are bad for dogs include:
- Chocolate, coffee, and caffeine: Contain methylxanthines which are toxic and can cause serious symptoms depending on the dose. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are especially dangerous.
- Xylitol: A sweetener found in sugar-free gums, candies, and some toothpaste that causes insulin release leading to low blood sugar, seizures, liver failure, and can be fatal.
- Macadamia nuts: Toxic to dogs causing weakness, vomiting, tremors, depression, and elevated body temperature.
- Grapes and raisins: Can cause fatal kidney failure in dogs.
- Garlic, onions, chives, and related plants: Contain compounds that damage red blood cells causing anemia and other severe symptoms.
- Alcohol: Can cause vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, tremors, coma, and death.
- Yeast dough: Can cause dangerous gas accumulation and intoxication effects.
- Raw meat, raw eggs, and bones: Risk of bacterial infections and physical blockage or perforation.
- Citrus fruits (in large amounts): Can cause gastrointestinal irritation and nervous system depression.
- Coconut and coconut oil: May cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal upset.
- Other nuts: High in fats that can cause pancreatitis; macadamia nuts and black walnuts are specifically toxic.
Additional foods to avoid include avocado due to its fat content and toxin persin, and cooked bones since they can splinter and harm the digestive tract. Overall, these foods should never be fed to dogs due to the serious health risks they pose.
