6 Common People Foods That Can Kill Your Dog

While many human foods are not only safe for dogs to eat but can also be quite healthy for them, there are many things we eat which can be dangerous for a dog, and could make them sick or even kill them. As dogs themselves do not know what they can and cannot eat, it’s up to you to know what not to feed your dog. It would be nearly impossible to list all the human foods that are dangerous for dogs to eat, but in this article I will list some of the most commonly eaten human foods that are dangerous for dogs to eat, in the hopes it will save at least a few dogs and their owners from unnecessary misery.

Raisins and Grapes

I love both raisins and grapes. Unfortunately, though, I cannot share these with my dog. Both raisins and grapes can be lethal for a dog to eat as they can cause kidney failure.

Apple Seeds

Dogs can eat apples, they are actually quite good for dogs to eat. However, the apple seeds are highly dangerous for dogs to eat as they include poisonous cyanide, which is safe for us humans in this dose but not for our four-legged friends. One should never feed their dogs whole apples, and owners should also make sure their dogs do not go anywhere near apple trees while the apples are ripe and falling on the ground.

Animal Bones

Feeding animal bones to dogs is one of the most common mistakes dog owners make. A lot of dog owners, especially those who own large dogs, think that dogs can easily chew bones. While it’s true that most of the time, a large dog won’t have any problems chewing up a bone and that chewing bones can even have some health benefits for dogs, there are also risks involved. Every year, thousands of dogs end up in veterinarian hospitals with bone splinters stuck in the intestinal tract or whole bones caught in the throat. These are both serious conditions that often require surgeries and can kill your dog.

Chocolate

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can have many health benefits for us humans. Among other things, it’s good for our heart, good for our skin, reduces the risk of diabetes, and can even help us solve math problems. Because chocolate is so  beneficial for us, it’s hard to imagine that it’s lethal for dogs. However, even a few bites of chocolate can kill a dog. The ingredient in chocolate that is deadly to dogs is theobromine. Theobromine is safe for humans, but it is absorbed much slower by dogs and can have serious or even deadly effects by increasing a dog’s heart rate, stimulating the central nervous system, and constricting the arteries.

Milk and Cheese

Unless you are lactose intolerant, milk and cheese are fine and even beneficial for you to consume. Unfortunately, though, cheese and milk are not safe for your dog. Dogs do not have the required enzyme to break down milk sugar. Also, cheese has too much fat in it, which can result in pancreatitis – a deadly condition.

Caffeine

I find it hard to believe that any of you would even consider giving your dog coffee, Coca-Cola, or anything else containing caffeine, but not wanting to take any chances, I decided to include caffeine in this list of popular people foods that are deadly for dogs. Just like chocolate, caffeine contains a stimulant that is highly dangerous for dogs – mehtylated xanthine, which stimulates a dog’s central nervous system and causes vomiting, heart palpitations, and even death.

This completes our list of common people foods that can kill your dog, however, there are many other foods that can be equally dangerous to feed your dog. For example, you should never feed your dog acorns, avocados, corn cobs, garlic, ice cream, lemons, mushrooms, nuts, onions, pistachios, or tomatoes.