Forbidden Foods for Pets

Many of us are guilty of feeding our pets table scraps, and many of us know that chocolate is bad for dogs, right? Right, but there are many other human foods that are also toxic to our beloved pets.

The newest addition to the list of forbidden foods is avocados. According to the ASPCA, avocado related poisoning in pets and other animals has increased in 2008. There have been 115 cases involving the ingestion of avocados mainly in dogs but also in animals such as birds, horses, cattle and rabbits. Avocados contain a toxin called persin that is toxic when ingested by animals. Dogs who have eaten an avocado will have digestive distress resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.

There are many other seemingly harmless food that are of course, fine for us to eat, but are deadly to animals.

Onions are considered one the worst offenders since they can destroy red blood cells in the animal and ultimately cause anemia. Garlic and anything form the onion family such as chives can also cause the same results.

Raisins and grapes are detrimental to a dog's kidney function; eating even small amounts can cause kidney failure.

Tomatoes, the plant and the fruit can cause a whole host of problems so it is wise to avoid feeding any type of tomato or tomato products to your pets.

Nutmeg has been shown to cause tremors and seizures and in serious cases, death.

Macadamia nuts will cause temporary muscle tremors, paralysis and weakness.

Wild mushrooms can cause liver and kidney damage, vomiting, convulsions, coma and death.

Chocolate may the most recognized no-no of what not to feed your dog; this is due to the fact that it can cause seizures, coma and death. The darker the chocolate is the more toxic it is to the animal

Foods that are fatty and contain a lot of salt are also harmful to your pet. Having too much salt affects the kidneys and too much fat can cause pancreatitis.

Please remember these tips when you are about to feed your dogs those table scraps, it could be a difference between life and death.