Foods to Keep Away From Your Dog to Prevent a Vet Emergency

Foods to Keep Away From Your Dog to Prevent a Vet Emergency

13 April 2018
 Categories: , Blog


Being a dog owner comes with a lot of responsibility. For your pet to stay healthy, they need a balanced diet as well as regular exercise. However, some people tend to take the nutrition of their dog for granted as they assume that as long as they are eating at home, they will be safe. In truth, there are a myriad of foods that can be hazardous to the health of your pet and even prove deadly if emergency care is not sought in time. If you are a new dog owner, the following is a list of foods to keep away from your pet to prevent a vet emergency. 

Alcoholic beverages

Responsible pet owners do know better than to expose their dog, but this does not mean your pet will not accidentally access these beverages. You may be having a party, and your dog ends up inadvertently drinking alcohol from discarded bottles or cups. Alcohol is especially detrimental to dogs (and other smaller pets) since it is metabolised faster in these animals than in humans. Hence, the aftereffects are much more pronounced in your pet. In addition to this, your dog's kidneys are not designed to process alcohol as efficiently as human kidneys, which poses the risk of irreparable kidney damage to your pet. Since dogs are at a higher risk of alcohol poisoning, it is imperative to seek emergency vet care if you suspect your pet has ingested these beverages.

Foods containing garlic and/or onions

Garlic and onions may be essential flavours for human food, but they are incredibly hazardous to dogs. When dogs ingest either onions or garlic, there is a heightened risk of death of their red blood cells. Some of the symptoms to be wary of include sudden onset of uncontrollable vomiting or an overall sense of lethargy that comes over your pet. Take note that these ingredients are harmful even in powdered form, so it is critical to ensure your dog's food is not laced with these substances.

Caffeinated drinks

Caffeine may not kill your dog, but it will severely compromise their health. And coffee is not the only drink that you should be wary of. The levels of caffeine in tea, energy drinks and even used coffee grounds can also be detrimental to the wellbeing of your pet. Caffeine has been known to cause your pet's heart rate to spike. The higher the heart rate, the higher the likelihood of irreparable damage to the functioning of this organ. Therefore, any caffeine poisoning should be treated as a vet emergency.