Important foods to never feed your Dog or Cat
May 23rd, 2008 by omidog
In the spirit of the long weekend coming up for Memorial Day, I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about what foods you shouldn’t feed your dog or cat. With so many people barbecuing and spending time with their families (and pets!), it’s a prime time for table scraps. While you and your vet know your particular pet’s dietary limitations the best, there are some specific foods that are very important to avoid. (I have an entire Squidoo lens dedicated to this same topic for guinea pigs as well. They’re close to my heart so I have quite a bit of information developed for you cavy slaves out there if you like! I’ll be pulling some of those over here in the not too distant future)
So, while you’re gathered ’round the grill for a hot dog or firing up some s’mores on the beach this weekend, keep this list in mind and save your pets from a potentially life-threatening snack.
In addition to general precautions against excessive “people food” scraps or logically bad foods like candy, some specific foods to never feed your pet include:
- onions
- mushrooms
- chocolate or other caffeinated products
- alcohol
- grapes or raisins
- macadamia nuts
- avocado
- anything with a lot of sugar or any artificial sweeteners
There is somewhat of a debate over how harmful garlic is for dogs. Some sources say that it’s bad for your dog, and others actually promote it as a healthy, beneficial item in your pet’s diet. I’m not a veterinarian or an animal dietary specialist, so I don’t want to lead anyone down the wrong path either way! Generally, the best rule of thumb is “if you’re not sure, don’t take the chance”.
Have a happy and safe holiday weekend, everyone, and just make sure if you offer your pup a bite of that Memorial Day hamburger, pull the onions out first!