Don't Feed Grapes To Animals: These Common Human Foods Are Unsafe For Them
Ewien van Bergeijk - Kwant on Unsplash
We know you want your pet to feel included in your meal time, and it often doesn’t hurt to offer them a piece of fish or meat that you’re cooking. But we also know that plenty of human foods aren’t safe for pets, and you can seriously injure your four-legged friend, even without trying to. These foods are, surprisingly, unsafe for animals.
Grapes/Raisins
Grapes and raisins contain a substance that can cause acute kidney failure, especially in dogs. While it hasn’t been confirmed which substance is primarily at fault, it’s believed that it could be tartaric acid.
Avocado
The leaves, skin, pit, and fruit of an avocado all contain a toxin called persin. This toxin, when consumed in small amounts, can cause mild gastrointestinal upset in cats and dogs, usually shown through vomiting and diarrhea. However, the high fat content can also lead to pancreatitis, a potentially fatal issue for our furry friends.
Fruit Pits
The pits from cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, and nectarines all contain cyanide compounds, which could poison your pet. Not to mention the pits could be a choking hazard or cause further internal blockages.
Mushrooms
Presetbase Lightroom Presets on Unsplash
Not every mushroom is toxic to pets, but if you don’t know your mushrooms that well, it's just best to avoid them altogether. The most fatal types of mushrooms are the amanita, galerina, and lepiota, and consumption of any kind of toxic mushroom can cause seizures, liver and kidney failure, and even death.
Tomatoes
Have no fear - ripe tomatoes are perfectly safe for pets. It’s the unripe, green tomato that you need to be worried about. Unripe tomatoes and tomato plants as a whole contain a toxic compound called tomatine, which can cause stomach upset, lethargy, tremors, or a loss of coordination.
Garlic/Onion/Chives
These three foods are probably the most common among the pet owner community, but they should still be mentioned. All of these plants belong to the Allium family, and can damage your pet's red blood cells. Any consumption of these items leads to anemia, organ damage, or other injuries.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, which can overstimulate your pet's central nervous system. This can lead to a high body temperature, low blood pressure, seizures, muscle rigidity, and other symptoms.
Dairy Products
While they may not kill your pet, dairy products are often high in lactose, fat, and salt, which can lead to a plethora of health issues. Your pets may have anything from digestive upset to pancreatitis, which will only cause more problems down the road.
Xylitol
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is often found in gum, toothpaste, and as an artificial sweetener in some baking. However, it is extremely dangerous to dogs, causing a dangerous drop in blood sugar. Essentially, your dog could become hypoglycemic, leading to vomiting, tremors, seizures, comas, and death.
Raw Food
Despite their ancestors eating fresh deer or fish raw, it doesn’t mean our little guys can. Just like us, raw or undercooked meat can pass salmonella, E. coli, and listeria to our pets.
