Which foods are toxic and dangerous for your dog

Letting your dog share your dinner sounds lovely and maybe even obvious, but remember that your buddy is a dog and has different needs than you do as a human. So take what you learn in this blog to heart!

Food poisoning in dogs

This blog is very personal for us. Our wonderful office dog Hera had garlic poisoning last summer. It shook us so badly that we want to warn every dog owner out there. Hera accidentally ate garlic and was dangerously ill. Luckily we were there when the symptoms (very similar to an epileptic seizure) started, so we got to the vet in time. The vet put her on a drip and Hera slowly recovered. After a few days of walking around "drunk", she is thankfully back to the bouncing ball of energy we know.

Everyday foods that are toxic to your dog

The following list applies to dogs only. We humans can happily keep eating all of this.

1. (Too much) milk

• A little now and then is fine
• Large amounts of lactose are hard to break down
• Has a laxative effect and leads to dehydration

2. Raw potatoes and sprouts from raw potatoes

• Causes a sharp, burning feeling in the throat
• Can also cause nausea, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness and cramps
• Small dogs are extra sensitive to solanine (a natural toxin in the potato)

3. Garlic

• A little can work in your favour: it is good against fleas and flatulence, for example
• A large amount of garlic causes anaemia, and in some cases this can be life-threatening
• Never just feed your dog garlic: what is still fine for one dog can already cause anaemia in another

4. Chives

• Very toxic
• Chives can cause anaemia, and in some cases this can be life-threatening
• Never give your dog chives, even a tiny amount can have serious consequences

5. Leek

• Very toxic
• Leek can cause anaemia, and in some cases this can be life-threatening
• Never feed your dog leek, even a tiny amount can have serious consequences

6. Broccoli

• Contains isothiocyanate, which dogs find hard to digest
• The dog can get severe stomach and abdominal pain and feel sick
• Small amounts often do no harm, but be careful with it

7. (Too much) salt

• A dog does not naturally eat salt, and too much salt can cause poisoning
• In some cases, too much salt can be life-threatening
• Make sure your dog does not get too much of our salty food

8. Spinach

• Contains oxalate, which can be harmful to a dog's kidneys
• When the kidneys get irritated, the dog can develop kidney stones and/or pain when peeing
• The above mostly applies to large amounts

9. Bell pepper

• Bell pepper is mainly a problem when the dog is allergic to it
• Is your dog itching for no other reason? Then it is probably allergic
• Bell pepper is related to the tomato and the aubergine, so watch out for those too

10. Onion

• Raw or fried, it can be very toxic
• Onion can cause anaemia, and in some cases this can be life-threatening
• Never feed your dog onion, even a tiny amount can have serious consequences

11. Mushrooms

• Button mushrooms and other mushrooms can be toxic to dogs
• Can cause stomach ache and nausea
• Be alert when your dog eats a mushroom: a large amount can be life-threatening

12. Tomato plant or unripe tomatoes

• The defensive compounds this plant produces can be toxic to dogs
• The dog can get stomach and abdominal pain
• Mind you, this includes the leaves and stems, not just the (unripe) tomato

13. (Too much) cheese

• Cheese is salty and contains lactose, and dogs cannot digest too much lactose well
• Too much lactose causes stomach ache, cramps and diarrhoea
• Cheese also contains salt, which you read about a few paragraphs back. So be careful with cheese

14. Liver sausage

• Contains a lot of vitamin A, which is fine as long as it is not too much. A dog has trouble getting rid of excess vitamin A
• Too much can lead to nausea, dizziness, problems with the eyes and skeleton and even headaches
• Dog kibble already contains some vitamin A, so try not to add too much yourself

15. Raw pork

• Raw pork can infect a dog with the pseudorabies virus. The symptoms are very similar to rabies
• This disease is extreme: once caught, the dog does not recover. It can even be life-threatening
• Only thoroughly cooking the meat kills this pathogen, but our advice is: don't! (we two-legged types are not susceptible to this infection)

16. Pear pips

• Contain hydrocyanic acid, which is released when the dog bites into a pip and is toxic to dogs
• The uptake of oxygen in the organs can be reduced, which can cause headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, among other things
• Because of the shortness of breath, eating these pips can be life-threatening. Dogs often like pieces of pear, but always make sure they are pip-free

17. Cherry stones

• When the dog bites into the stone, cyanogenic glycosides can be released. These are toxic
• The dog can feel sick and start vomiting
• The same substance is also found in cassava, almonds, and the stones of peaches, apples, plums and apricots.

18. Avocado stone and skin

• Contains persin, which is toxic to dogs
• A dog cannot break down persin, resulting in lethargy, blue gums, coughing, poor condition and breathing difficulties
• Too much persin can cause cardiac arrest

19. Apple pips

• Contain hydrocyanic acid, which is released when the dog bites into a pip and is toxic to dogs
• The uptake of oxygen in the organs can be reduced, which can cause headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, among other things
• Because of the shortness of breath, eating these pips can be life-threatening. Dogs often like pieces of apple, but always make sure they are free of pips and core

20. Raisins and grapes

• Toxic to dogs, and because you only notice late, this poison is extra nasty
• Raisins and grapes damage the kidneys, resulting in a lot of pain when peeing, irregular peeing and dark urine.
• The damage to the kidneys cannot be reversed

21. Rhubarb

• Contains oxalic acid, which makes absorbing calcium very difficult
• Too little calcium can cause muscle cramps and irreparable bone decalcification
• This applies to larger amounts, but be careful with it anyway

22. Walnuts

• This makes the dog very ill
• Too many walnuts can cause lethargy, a high body temperature, signs of paralysis and vomiting
• The dog generally recovers within a few days, but don't take any risks

23. Macadamia nuts

• These nuts also make the dog very ill
• Too many nuts can cause lethargy, a high body temperature, signs of paralysis and vomiting
• The dog generally recovers within a few days, but don't take any risks

24. Chocolate and chocolate spread

• Chocolate contains theobromine, which can be life-threatening for a dog
• Eating chocolate can have many consequences, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, a raised heart rate, epilepsy and loss of consciousness
• Never just feed your dog chocolate, even a tiny amount can have serious consequences

25. Ice cream

• Here you have the lactose issue again, which is hard for a dog to break down
• Too much lactose can cause stomach ache, nausea and diarrhoea
• Ice creams are best avoided anyway, as even water ices can be toxic because of the amount of sweeteners (more on that in a moment)

26. Alcohol

• Alcohol is toxic to dogs and can even be life-threatening
• Too much alcohol can cause loss of consciousness and can damage the liver
• The smaller the dog, the more dangerous alcohol is

27. Xylitol and other sweeteners

• Xylitol raises the body's own insulin, and can be life-threatening
• As a result, blood sugar drops
• Watch out for all kinds of sugars and sweeteners, and do not leave bags of sweets lying around.

Anaemia

You have seen anaemia come past a few times by now, so here is a quick explanation of what actually happens.

With anaemia, the dog makes too few red blood cells, so less oxygen can be carried around the body. You can recognise (severe) anaemia by various symptoms: tiring quickly, shortness of breath, a fast heart rate, pale eyelids, pale gums, dizziness and cold paws. On top of that, a dog can develop epileptic symptoms, just like Hera did.

Forewarned is forearmed

Do you have tips and/or experiences you would like to share? Feel free to let us know. We want to keep everyone well informed so that our four-legged friends never have to get seriously ill.

Also read whether you should have your dog vaccinated and what to do about a shedding dog. And browse all products for your dog.