Did you know that many of the foods you love and likely eat regularly are dangerous to the health of your pets? It’s true. Some are even considered toxic. Here’s an overview of the types of foods that are dangerous to your pet; remember, however, that this is not an exhaustive list, and as a rule, if you don’t know the safety of a certain food, then don’t feed it to your pet—safer still to keep your pet on a diet geared especially for him/her.
Most of us know that chocolate is bad for dogs and cats, but did you now that in many cases it can be toxic to your pet’s health, and could even lead to death? When a pet is sick from the toxicity of chocolate, he or she may vomit and have diarrhea, have a heart arrhythmia or seizure, or possibly even die before he or she appears symptomatic. It’s an ingredient in the chocolate—theobromine—that is toxic. And the darker the chocolate the more concentrated the toxic ingredient. Many cats won’t eat chocolate—although it’s best not to test your cat’s intolerance—but many dogs think chocolate smells and tastes as addictively wonderful as their human companions.
Fatty foods, fat trimmings, and animal bones are not quality food choices for your pets. In the case of animal fat, your dog or cat probably won’t experience any serious symptoms, however he or she may develop gastrointestinal problems—not fun—or possibly even pancreatitis issues. Bones are dangerous to your pet, and both cooked and raw bones apply. Yes, we often think of bones as pet chew things, but cooked bones can splinter under pressure and the fragments could prove impossible or at least extremely uncomfortable to digest; these fragmented bones could also tear digestive organs and cause internal bleeding.
Salt in large quantities is dangerous for pets. No, the crumbles of a potato chip or pretzel is not going to harm him/her, but when salt is consumed in large quantities it can cause the animal’s brain to swell. Neurological problems can develop, including seizures and the inherent complications of swelling/inflammation. There are so many foods that are bad for your pet’s health. Remember that even the fruits and veggies in your fridge or on the counter could be toxic to an animal