I love animals. One of the reasons we bought and purchased our farm 10 years ago was so that I could have lots of pets. Fifteen chickens, four cats, two ponies, one duck, and one dog currently call our farm home.
Our pets are like family and we treat them that way…sometimes a little too much. I admit that we feed table scraps to our animals. The dog and cats get leftover meat and eggs, the ponies get pumpkins and fruit, and the birds will eat pretty much everything else. Until fairly recently I had no idea that certain foods considered good for humans can be toxic to our furry and feathered friends. Protect your pets from these hidden food dangers!
Protect your pets from hidden food dangers by never feeding them the following foods:
Grapes, raisins, figs
Animals affected: dogs
Toxic effects: kidney problems, kidney failure
Avocados
Animals affected: chickens and other pet birds
Toxic effects: heart failure and death
Chocolate, coffee
Animals affected: dogs
Toxic effects: seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, death
Onions, shallots, garlic, chives
Animals affected: cats and dogs
Toxic effects: GI irritation and red blood cell damage
Salty foods (chips, pretzels, popcorn)
Animals affected: all
Toxic effects: sodium ion imbalance, death
Xylitol (artificial sweetener found in gum, toothpaste, and sugar-free foods)
Animals affected: dogs and cats
Toxic effects: life-threatening drop in blood sugar, liver damage
What to do if your think your pet ingested a toxic food
If your pet only ingested a small amount of one of the above foods, they will probably be okay. They may experience stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. However, if you think your pet may have eaten a toxic food, or is exhibiting symptoms, it’s probably best to play it safe and call your vet. You can also contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 or by visiting their website.
Human foods that are safe to share with your pets
There’s nothing wrong with sharing a bit of human food with your pets. Just make sure it’s the right stuff! Cooked meat, cored apples and pears, blueberries and strawberries, cantaloupe, pumpkin, broccoli and cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, kale and spinach greens are safe for pets.
Thank you for reading! I hope you found this information helpful. I’d love to hear from you! Did you know that these food items pose a danger to your pets?
