Deciding what kinds of foods are the most appropriate for your dog or what foods not to feed dogs can be quite a challenge especially if you’re new to the business of having pets.
This is a very crucial decision, but, what your dog eats is about the biggest contributor to its well-being.
It can also be quite tempting to share what you eat with your pet because you think what’s safe for you has to be safe for your dog.
But, that’s not always the case. If you’re wondering What Can Dogs Not Eat and what ones are right for it, you should be reading this because this article will give you the answer.
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Are Human Foods Dog-Friendly?
The truth is, humans and dogs do not metabolize food in the same way. For this reason, some foods which are safe for humans may be harmful to dogs.
But, this is not always the case. There are quite many foods that humans eat that are also safe for your dog. They even come with many health benefits for the dog.
The rest of this article will let you know which foods fall into which category so you can make correct choices on what to feed your dog.
List Of Foods Not To Feed Your Dog
Here is the list of What Can Dogs Not Eat;
1. Grapes And Raisins
These foods can cause health issues like kidney failure in sensitive dogs. While the actual toxic substances in grapes and raisins are unknown, they can be very dangerous for dogs with underlying health issues and even a single raisin can be harmful. It is, thus, best not to feed your dog these at all.
2. Chocolate
This is a complete no-no for your dog. Chocolate contains the stimulant theobromine. It can affect the guts, the central nervous system, the heart, and the kidneys of your dog.
These could manifest in symptoms like diarrhea, seizures, and restlessness.
3. Yeast dough
The dough can rise and hence, make gas accumulate in the digestive system of your dog. Your dog is also at risk of having their stomach or intestines blocked and they could as well suffer a lot of pain.
4. Milk
Yes, milk. This may sound unbelievable but milk is not exactly the healthiest thing to give your dog. Dogs do not have tangible amounts of the enzyme lactase which helps to break down lactose in milk.
As a result, milk and other milk-based foods can make your dog suffer different digestive upsets including diarrhea.
5. Onions
As a matter of fact, anything in the onion family including garlic and chives, and shallots is not safe for your dog. These foods contain compounds that can damage the red blood cells of your dog, cause anemia as well as gastroenteritis.
Symptoms of these conditions could include weakness and lethargy.
6. Macadamia Nuts
You should not give this to your dog even in small amounts. It is dangerous and can cause vomiting, muscle shakes, and even a fever.
7. Tobacco
This substance contains nicotine which can also be poisonous to dogs. Tobacco could cause vomiting, tremors, and weakness. It could also lead to an abnormal heart rate in your dog.
8. Alcohol
This could never pass for a good treat and you shouldn’t even think about giving some to your dog. Not even in small quantities.
Alcoholic beverages could lead to consequences like diarrhea, vomiting, a depression of the central nervous system, tremors, breathing difficulties, and even more severe occurrences like a coma.
And even death. You do not want to take this risk with your dog.
Further Reading:
- 13 human foods that are dangerous for dogs
- Human Foods That Are Dangerous for Your Dog
- Foods Not To Feed Dogs
How To Keep Your Dog On A Healthy Diet?
There are quite many things you need to pay attention to if you want to ensure that your dog is on a healthy diet. Here are some of those:
1. Test the Labels
Do careful examinations of the products you’re buying for your dog by looking out for the formulating ingredients on the labels.
Running some of those ingredients by google can be a very good idea so you know exactly how safe or not what you’re feeding your dog is. Specifically, research whether a particular ingredient is good or bad for your dog.
2. Let Your Dog Eat Fresh Foods
Fresh whole foods are full of fiber and live enzymes which will help digestion and improve your dog’s stool. You should, thus, feed your dog with fruits and vegetables like beetroot leaves and broccoli stems.
3. Rethink Processed Foods
There are actual reasons why processed foods have shelf lives of 12 to 24 months. Truth is, these foods do not have live enzymes and this is because they are processed.
While they can come in handy in emergency situations such as on a long trip, these are not foods you want to feed your dog on a daily basis.
4. Serve Your Dog’s Meat Uncooked
This is a great way to preserve most of the natural nutrients that meat comes with. Cooking diminishes the natural goodness of the meat. If you’re going to cook the meat though, do that only to a small extent and don’t let it cook through.
5. Serve Your Dog Organic Green Lentils
This is a way better option than grains. Green lentils are very high in protein, fiber, and minerals like iron and magnesium.
They are also rich in the vital amino acid, lysine. It can boost your pet’s immune system as well as prevent and treat health challenges like cold sores.
6. Include Raw Coconut Oil In Your Dog’s Diet
This can actually help with things like managing your dog’s weight.
This is possible because raw coconut oil will go straight into the dog’s liver. Generating more energy and forcing the dog to exercise.
This will, in turn, ensure that your dog stays in good shape and maintains a good weight. And no, you do not have to worry about the fat.
Coconut oil, unlike many other oils, actually contains healthy saturated fat made up of medium-chain fatty acids which are not stored in the body.
7. Do Not Feed Your Dog More Than Necessary
It should go without saying that overfeeding your dog can give way to obesity. And that is not what you want. If you’re trying to get your dog to put on some weight, feeding it before bedtime can be a good option to prevent the dog from burning up the calories.
8. Do Not Overlook Clean Water
Having a water filter is a great idea but I would rather have clean water for starters. You should research good water purifiers you can add to your dog’s water to ensure the most benefits and safety.
Further Reading:
15 Tips To Improve Your Dog’s Diet Today
Safe Human Foods For Dogs
Even though we’ve already mentioned you don’t have to think whatever’s safe for you is safe for your dog, there are actually some human foods your dog can eat without being in harm’s way.
Here are some of those;
1. Peanut Butter
Given in moderate quantities, this is actually a healthy option for your dog. Too much peanut butter might make your dog put on too much weight seeing as peanut butter contains high amounts of calories and fat.
2. Popcorn
Old plain, air-popped popcorn is safe for your dog. This is a safer option. Popcorn made with salt, butter, and oil can lead to many complications as well as pancreatitis in your dog if eaten in large quantities. Also, ensure that your dog eats only fully popped kernels to avoid the risk of choking.
3. Eggs
Cooked eggs contain most of the protein, vitamins, and minerals your dog needs so this is a safe choice for your pet. It is advisable to not feed your dog raw eggs though as this creates risks of infections.
4. Carrots
Carrots are rich in vitamins and minerals and fiber and so is a good addition to your dog’s diet. Remember to cut them into smaller sizes to save your dog from choking.
5. Apples
These are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals and so are definitely a great option for your pet. Slice them into bite-size pieces to prevent choking and be sure to take out the seeds which contain potentially harmful cyanide.
6. Watermelon
As long as you have taken out the seeds to avoid the risk of choking, watermelon can be another very safe and healthy addition to your dog’s diet.
7. Pork
Can dogs eat pork? They can. Provided this is neither raw nor undercooked, this is a great treat for your dog. Raw or undercooked pork can expose your dog to bacterial infections and that’s something you do not want.
Also, because of the high quantity of salt, avoid feeding your dog processed forms of pork like bacon and ham.
8. Shrimps
These also provide a good amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals and so you can choose to cook them for your dog.
9. Blueberries
These contain antioxidants that can fight diseases and help to keep your dog healthy. They also contain essential vitamins and minerals which your dog needs. They are low in calories hence, great especially for the weight of your dog.
10. Salmon
This is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and can, thus, help keep your dog’s skin healthy. It is unsafe, however, to feed your dog raw salmon because it may contain a disease-causing parasite leading to severe consequences.
Further Reading:
Can My Dog Eat This? A List of Human Foods Dogs Can and Can’t Eat
When To Consult A Vet
You can’t always take care of your dog all by yourself. There’s going to be that time when you need to seek professional help for your dog because they’re sick or not exactly in their best condition.
But, your pet can’t tell you how they feel so how do you know it’s time to consult a vet? Let’s look at a few things to pay attention to;
1. A fever should definitely be a warning sign that your pet needs a vet. Of course, your dog won’t be running a temperature if it is alright.
2. Vomiting
Although not very unusual with dogs, you should be worried if your dog vomits too frequently or vomits blood.
3. Unusual Tiredness
It’s a red flag for your dog to exhibit unusual weakness and an unwillingness to carry out its normal physical activities such as walking and playing around.
4. Loss Of Appetite
If your dog is too willing to go without food for long periods or even days, there’s a warning sign.
5. Teary Eyes
If you begin to notice unusual wetness in your dog’s eyes, something just might be wrong. This could be a situation that can cause blindness even and so should be brought to a vet’s notice.
6. Abnormal Stool
Which could include prolonged diarrhea, bloody or mucus-filled stool, or a worm-filled stool.
7. Pain which could make the dog shake or whine.
If you notice any of the above symptoms in your pet or even anything else you do not quite understand or know how to deal with, it’s time to call the vet.
Final Words On What Can Dogs Not Eat
Our pets are a part of our family. They play with us, walk with us, eat from us and keep us company. As pet lovers and keepers, it’s important that we have all the right information to keep our pets in their very best shape.
Keeping your dog healthy and happy can be a walkover but sometimes, some people get to find out how only too late.
But, it’s a great thing this doesn’t have to be you and I’m happy you stopped by to learn a few things about taking care of your pet and keeping it healthy and happy.
Did you find this article quite helpful? If you did (and I hope so), kindly leave a comment to let us know your thoughts, and you could share your experiences with your pet. Oh and don’t forget to share this with your friends who might love pets as we do.
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