Don't Poison Your Pet - Must Read

Wow..I surely missed a posting on this right? It is so important that we know what we should NOT give our pets. Below is a list of over the counter medications that we should never give our dogs.

Note that this is obviously not a complete list only a short summary of top toxins. Always consult your veterinary professional before giving any fur babies a human drug of any kind.

1. NSAIDs (e.g. Advil, Aleve and Motrin)
2. Acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol)
3. Antidepressants (e.g. Effexor, Cymbalta, Prozac, Lexapro)
4. ADD/ADHD medications (e.g. Concerta, Adderall, Ritalin)
5.Benzodiazepines and sleep aids (e.g. Xanax, Klonopin, Ambien, Lunesta)
~~those are only a few top toxins~~

Care to read about some household toxins?

Raisins and grapes are often overlooked as one of the most toxic foods to dogs, and can result in kidney failure. Wow!!

Xylitol: This sweetener found in sugarless chewing gum and candy, medications and nasal sprays causes a rapid drop in blood sugar and liver failure only in dogs.

Chocolate: Dark equals dangerous! Bakers and dark chocolate are the most toxic, and milk chocolate if ingested in large amounts.
~~once again, this is a short list~~

You can keep your pets safe by following simple common sense guidelines:

Always keep human medications away from pets unless you are specifically instructed by a veterinarian to give the medication;
Do not leave pills sitting on counter or any place a pet can get to them;
Do not leave pill bottles within reach of pets (You'll be surprised how fast your dog can chew through a pill bottle.);
If you're taking medications out of the bottle and you drop any of it, pick it up immediately so you know your pet won't be able to eat it;
Always contact your veterinarian if your pet has ingested any medication not prescribed for them;
Never give your medication (or any medications prescribed for a two-legged family member) to your pet without first consulting a veterinarian.

This is such an important topic. I hope to see a load of posts to be able to help people to broaden their knowledge on this subject.

This is a fantastic topic! I actually didn't know about the grapes, or raisins, that is really good information to have now though. I remember my Vet had advised me not to let my dogs get a hold of Avocado (or most pets really, it is even worse for horses to have), or Onions & Garlic as well (the onions and garlic can cause some type of damage to their blood cells).

Really awesome post; This will be perfect source of info when my friends, or family ask if something is safe for a dog to have.

(01-22-2014, 06:43 AM)Roseary Wrote: This is a fantastic topic! I actually didn't know about the grapes, or raisins, that is really good information to have now though. I remember my Vet had advised me not to let my dogs get a hold of Avocado (or most pets really, it is even worse for horses to have), or Onions & Garlic as well (the onions and garlic can cause some type of damage to their blood cells).

Really awesome post; This will be perfect source of info when my friends, or family ask if something is safe for a dog to have.

Thank you Roseary for your positive feedback on my thread. I too think it is important that we are all more educated when it comes to our pets health.

I was aware of the onion and garlic toxicity to dogs and cats as well. You are pretty much on point in regards to those two affecting the blood cells, its the red blood cells to be exact. Onion and garlic poisoning results in oxidative damage to the red blood cells (making the red blood cells more likely to rupture).

I've know far too many people who have made terrible mistakes with their fur babies and have paid considerably for them. Even the very best intentions can inadvertently cause harm or even death to their pet.

Wow! This is very interesting and informative to read. I must admit I never had thought or had an idea about raisins being so dangerous for dogs. Other toxins and medicine is also a first. How do you guys keep your dogs from getting to where they shouldnt be and eating the things that they shouldnt? I have been told that dogs can easily developd diabetes and shouldnt be given sugar too (unlike a few people I know). Also another question I have pertaining to dogs is do veterinarians give the same type of medicine to dogs that they do to humans?
Also to add to that I just read on the net that the list of foods that should be avoided by the dog are:
Avocado - Dogs,irds, rabbits, and some large animals, including horses, are especially sensitive to avocados, as they can have respiratory distress, congestion, fluid accumulation around the heart, and even death from consuming avocado.
Ethanol - Even ingesting a small amount of a product containing alcohol can cause significant intoxication.
Macadamia Nuts - Develop toxicosis
Onions and Garlic - Contain compounds that can damage dogs’ red blood cells
Moldy Foods

So there you go, some more things to add to the list

(01-24-2014, 04:17 AM)DomDom Wrote: Wow! This is very interesting and informative to read. I must admit I never had thought or had an idea about raisins being so dangerous for dogs. Other toxins and medicine is also a first. How do you guys keep your dogs from getting to where they shouldnt be and eating the things that they shouldnt? I have been told that dogs can easily developd diabetes and shouldnt be given sugar too (unlike a few people I know). Also another question I have pertaining to dogs is do veterinarians give the same type of medicine to dogs that they do to humans?
Also to add to that I just read on the net that the list of foods that should be avoided by the dog are:
Avocado - Dogs,irds, rabbits, and some large animals, including horses, are especially sensitive to avocados, as they can have respiratory distress, congestion, fluid accumulation around the heart, and even death from consuming avocado.
Ethanol - Even ingesting a small amount of a product containing alcohol can cause significant intoxication.
Macadamia Nuts - Develop toxicosis
Onions and Garlic - Contain compounds that can damage dogs’ red blood cells
Moldy Foods

So there you go, some more things to add to the list

Great additions to our list Dom! Don't forget the original raisin, the grape! Grapes are a no-no too!

Avocado

"Avocado leaves, fruit, seeds and bark may contain a toxic principle known as persin. The Guatemalan variety, a common one found in stores, appears to be the most problematic. Other varieties of avocado can have different degrees of toxic potential."

"Birds, rabbits, and some large animals, including horses, are especially sensitive to avocados, as they can have respiratory distress, congestion, fluid accumulation around the heart, and even death from consuming avocado. While avocado is toxic to some animals, in dogs and cats, we do not expect to see serious signs of illness. In some dogs and cats, mild stomach upset may occur if the animal eats a significant amount of avocado flesh or peel. Ingestion of the pit can lead to obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract, which is a serious situation requiring urgent veterinary care."
Quoted from:
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pe...rdous-dogs

So you are completely right about the avocados. They are a no-no as well but fortunately do not do the same damage to dogs and cats as they would a horse.

I am considerably anal when it comes to my pets. I am sure that people have figured that out by now! When it comes to policing their natural desire to eat everything they see, I am on top of it.

I consistently check my yard for anything they can get in to. This would include even fallen tree limbs and making sure that I do not plant anything that they would want to eat. I have a separate dog yard within my yard that helps me control and prevent most issues.

Keeping a lid for my indoor garbage can is a necessity in my house. My sneaky dogs will stealthily scope out the can, wait for me to go to sleep and then try to go on a treasure hunt for goodies. There is nothing worse than waking up to or coming home to a mess and sick dogs. So a nice, tight lid is essential in my home.

Diabetes is heart breaking in dogs. Unfortunately in a dog that is insulin dependent, diabetes is usually accompanied by Pancreatitis which is incredibly difficult to manage by itself, let alone with the addition of Diabetes.

I have recently referenced my little Schnauzer who lost the battle after 2 long years. Yes, our dogs are prescribed insulin just as humans are. They are given injections, food is strictly monitored and their blood sugar is tested regularly.

If you have read any of my posts, you will see that I am easily angered when I hear of people "loving their dogs to death." Having had more than 15 years of experience in the Veterinary field, I am outspoken and sometimes downright rude when it comes to table scraps, "crap" dog food and canine obesity.

Obesity alone causes the chances of Pancreatitis to increase tremendously. A diet high in fat contributes to Pancreatitis and it is the Pancreas that produces insulin. See the connection?

Since we are in a thread about toxic foods I should stick to it right?
In summation, you will greatly lower the chances of your dog getting Diabetes if you totally refrain for table scraps and feed a quality food. In the case of canine Diabetes and Pancreatitis, anything other than a very low fat and carb diet is TOXIC....let me put it more bluntly...It is deadly.

Maybe we will see a Canine Diabetes thread in the future!

I was aware of most of those items. I think that it is a good idea to keep any and all medications, even those prescribed for your dog, in a safe place. This way you don't have to risk accidental ingestion.

Xylitol may be the most common item to find in your household. Does everyone realize how many things contain Xylitol nowadays (at least in American products)? Chewing gum, mouthwash, tooth paste, hard candies, cookies, etc. Many mass producers are adding it as an alternative to sugar. My dog has a habit of picking things up off the floor and eating them. When I learned about the Xylitol issue a year ago, I went through the house and I replaced every item that contained it. It is supposed to be highly toxic with most dogs dying from ingestion. I didn't want to risk it.

I want to speak to the issue of avocados. Years ago, I had a situation where the family dogs were at my house because of a family get together. When the party was over, I found several pieces of fruit skin all over one part of the yard. It took me awhile to realize it was avocado. I thought they had gotten one of the avocados from our tree, but they turned out to be the smaller, soft skinned variety from our neighbor's tree.

I immediately called the animal emergency hospital. I had seen in my dog emergency guide that ingesting whole avocados could cause a problem. They researched it and called me back with their results. I was only to worry if a) it was the Guatemalan variety that was toxic (not the Mexican or Hawaiian) or b) they ingested the seed which could get lodged in their digestive tract.

They told me to keep watch on the dogs for the next 72 hours (which is how long a blockage would take to show). All the dogs ended up to be fine. No one had complications. It turns out they might not have eaten that much despite the mess. What I realized the next day was that the crows had been picking avocados off the neighbor's tree. They would sit up on the telephone poles and wires and eat them. When one dropped, they left it and got another. I suspect they had dropped a couple of these very small ones in the yard. I am sure the dogs got some, but most likely not much. It was a scary and stressful week, to say the least!

Most human medications are very toxic to dogs and cats. There are a few exceptions like Benadryl. But, you shouldn't give your pets any human medication without first consulting a vet. We have given our dog Benadryl before when he had a stuffy nose, but we were told by a vet that is was ok. I also gave my guinea pig children's cold medicine when he had an upper respiratory infection, and it worked quite well. I believe Pepto Bismol is ok too, but I'm not sure about that. But, most medications are bad, and you should ask a vet before giving your pet anything.

As for food, there is a pretty long list of dangerous foods for dogs. I know about onions, raisins and grapes, macadamia nuts, chocolate, and a few others. The thing about raisins and grapes is, it does not hurt all dogs. I've actually had dogs who ate grapes with no problem. You would think that all dog owners know not to give their dog chocolate. Ever since I was a young child, I knew that chocolate was bad for dogs. But, there are some people who will give their dog an after dinner chocolate or hot chocolate every day. I use to watch "it's me or the dog" all the time. The dog trainer "Victoria Stilwell" had to tell several people about how chocolate was dangerous for dogs. I always thought it was common knowledge, but it surprised me to see so many people giving their dog chocolate. That was a good post. People need to be informed about stuff like this.

This is such a good topic. Too many pet owners are unaware of all of the dangerous foods or things that are out there. Raisins and Grapes being the number 1 thing most pet owners are unaware of that can kill their beloved pet very quickly. Most citrus based fruits are bad for dogs as they tend to stick to the digestive tracts and cause problems. Any fruit with a pit such as peaches or avacado are supposedly bad for dogs but I've bought dog food with avacado in it. Maybe it is just the pit, there are many contradicting reports out there.
Best practice: If you aren't sure, don't feed it to your pet.

Woah. I knew that onion and garlic are poisonous for most of the animals, but the fact about poisonousness of grapes is a big surprise for me. And avocadoes...
This thread is precious.
By the way, I heard that bread could cause a lot of digestive troubles not only for animals but for most the birds too. Too much of bread could even kill them.

really useful info! thank u a lot!!!!