We often consider dogs and cats to be members of our family. For some pet owners, this means giving them “human food” as a treat. After all, a little can’t hurt, right?
“Food is a love in many homes,” said veterinarian Adrienne Bautista. “But you never know when they’re going to have a stomach ache – or something worse.”
So, what foods should you avoid giving your dog and cat?
Chocolate: Chocolate contains alkaloids, caffeine and theobromine, which in dogs and cats can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, seizures or, in extreme cases, death. The darker the chocolate, the more harmful it is.
“Cacao, or cooked cocoa, is the biggest offender,” said Jessica Vogelsang, a San Diego-based veterinarian who writes a blog at Pawcurious.com. “The darker the chocolate, the more toxic ingredients are concentrated.”
If your pet eats chocolate, call your veterinarian. Vogelsang says knowing what type of chocolate was consumed and how much can help determine the right treatment.
Xylitol: You wouldn’t give your pet an artificial sweetener, would you? Experts say this happens quite often without owners knowing.
Xylitol is a common ingredient in sugar-free baked goods, gums, and candies; peanut butters; and jellies and jams. This can cause insulin to drop, Vogelsang said, leading to hypoglycemia and potential kidney failure in dogs. Health problems can occur in just 10 minutes.
“A lot of (emergency) cases involve dogs who have consumed sugar-free gum,” Vogelsang said. “It doesn’t take much, that’s why it scares me.”
Grapes and raisins: These foods have just popped up on many veterinarians’ radar. Although they are not toxic to all dogs and cats, and experts say more research is needed to identify the cause, consuming them can lead to fatal kidney failure in some animals.
“I have to admit, I regularly gave them to my dogs as snacks,” said Barbara Hodges, director of advocacy and awareness for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. “At this point, you don’t even want to give a few raisins or grapes.”
Mushrooms: Eating mushrooms that you buy at your local grocery store probably won’t make your pet sick, Hodges said. But that could lead them to also eat wild mushrooms they find growing outside, which is much riskier. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has discouraged foraging for wild mushrooms since an outbreak of disease in humans in 2017.
Onions, garlic and chives: Your dog or cat can easily get an upset stomach from these staple foods. Worse, because they contain biosulfate, these ingredients can damage red blood cells, Hodges said, leading to anemia. This is especially true for cats. “Their red blood cells are a little more fragile,” Bautista explained.
Nuts: The crunch and texture may be tempting, but the high fat and oil content of nuts can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, obesity and pancreatic problems. Additionally, they pose a choking hazard. Macadamia nuts are even toxic to dogs, Hodges said.
Other no-nos: Cannabis and alcohol products (danger of toxicity), fried or fatty foods (pancreatitis) and raw salmon (risk of fish parasites) are other products to avoid giving to your pet.