People Foods that can kill your Pet!!
Treating your pet to human food every once in a while feels good. Those puppy-dog eyes are hard to resist as they watch you eat and try to convince you that they are starving! It makes you want to give them a taste of everything you eat. But beware: Giving in to those eyes and giving dogs human foods can harm them.
In 2007, ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center received more than 130,000 calls. Common human foods and household items cause most cases of animal poisoning.
Many foods we enjoy can be dangerous to animals. It's best to stick to pet food and a diet recommended by your vet. Here are a few of the most toxic foods that can harm your pet:
Bad news foods
Avocados
They contain a toxic component called persin, which can damage the heart, lungs, and other tissue in many animals. This fruit is very toxic to dogs, cats, and most animals.
Beer
Alcoholic beverages can cause the same damage to an animal's liver and brain as they cause in humans. But the effects can be deadly on animals since they are much smaller than us. The smaller the animal, the more deadly the effects can be. Even a small amount of alcohol may cause vomiting and damage the liver and brain.
Nuts
Walnuts and macadamia nuts are especially toxic. Effects can be anything from vomiting to paralysis to death. Within 12 hours of eating the nuts, pets develop symptoms such as an inability to stand or walk, vomiting, hypothermia [elevated body temperature], weakness, and an elevated heart rate. These symptoms can be even worse if your dog eats some chocolate with nuts. The effect can cause kidney failure, often leading to death.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains theobromine, which can kill your pet if eaten in large quantities. Dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are especially dangerous. Giving your pup a piece of chocolate cake or even letting him lick the chocolate icing on the cake could cause him to become ill. Theobromine can also cause a dog or cat's heart to beat rapidly or irregularly, resulting in death if the pet is exercising or overly active.
Candy
Candy or anything containing Xylitol [a common sweetener found in some diet products] can cause a sudden drop in an animal's blood sugar, loss of coordination, and seizures. If left untreated, the animal could die.
Caffeine
Coffee, tea, or caffeine stimulates an animal's central nervous and cardiac systems. This can lead to restlessness, heart palpitations, and death, depending on how much the animal consumes.
Grapes And Raisins
Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill them. And the effects are cumulative, which means that even if a dog eats just one or two grapes or raisins regularly, the toxin that builds in his system will eventually kill him.
Onions
Onions are another common food that can be highly toxic to pets. They can destroy an animal's red blood cells and lead to anemia, weakness, and difficulty breathing. Their effects are also cumulative over time.
Medicine
Hide medicine from your pet just like you would from your children. The most common cause of pet poisoning is from animals ingesting a medicine or drug normally prescribed for humans.
And this is not just because furry pals are getting into their parent's medicine cabinets. Pet owners often give their feline and canine friends over-the-counter medication to ease an animal's pain. But acetaminophen and ibuprofen, the active ingredients in many common pain relievers, are extremely toxic to dogs and cats. They can cause gastric ulcers, liver damage, kidney failure, and sometimes death.
In Case Of Emergency
Despite all the precautions you take to keep your pet pals safe, accidents do happen. That's why the ASPCA, Humane Society, and animal advocates advise pet owners to keep the telephone numbers of their local veterinarian and the ASPCA Animal Poison Center-[888] 426-4435- in a prominent location.
Common signs of poisoning include muscle tremors or seizures, vomiting, diarrhea; drooling; redness of the skin; ears, and eyes; and swelling and bleeding.
If you suspect your pet has consumed, inhaled, or come in contact with a toxic substance, stay calm and call for help immediately. If you see your pet consuming anything you think might be toxic, seek emergency help immediately, even if they are not exhibiting any symptoms.