As Valentine's Day approaches, and the stores are full of chocolate, I thought it a good time to remind everyone of the foods in our home which seem harmless but are actually toxic to our furkids. 

Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine

Most of us know not to feed or allow our dogs chocolate but I never knew about coffee. These products all contain substances called methylxanthines, which are found in cacao seeds, the fruit of the plant used to make coffee and in the nuts of an extract used in some sodas. When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. Note that darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest. Photo by darwinbell

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death. 

Avocado

No guacamole for Fido!  The leaves, fruit, seeds and bark of avocados contain Persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. Birds and rodents are especially sensitive to avocado poisoning, and can develop congestion, difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation around the heart. Some ingestions may even be fatal. 

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts are commonly used in many cookies and candies. However, they can cause problems for your canine companion. These nuts have caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and last approximately 12 to 48 hours. 

Grapes & Raisins

Although the toxic substance within grapes and raisins is unknown, these fruits can cause kidney failure. In pets who already have certain health problems, signs may be more dramatic.

In addition to grapes and raisins, pits and seeds from fruits are also toxic.

These include plum, apricot, peach, apple and some varieties of cherry.

Yeast Dough

Yeast dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate in your pet’s digestive system. This can be painful and can cause the stomach or intestines to rupture. Because the risk diminishes after the dough is cooked and the yeast has fully risen, pets can have small bits of bread as treats. However, these treats should not constitute more than 5 percent to 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake.

Xylitol

This explains why there is not a liver Excel gum! Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. The increase in insulin leads to hypoglycemia (lowered sugar levels). Initial signs of toxicosis include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination. Signs can progress to recumbancy and seizures. Elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days. Photo by sunshinecity

Milk

Because dogs do not possess significant amounts of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk), milk and other milk-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset.

Salt

Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets.

Signs that your pet may have eaten too many salty foods include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death.

In other words, keep those salty chips to yourself!

I am certain that this list is not complete.  It is a good starting point to keeping our pets safe.  I have to admit that I learned a lot in preparing this list.  I did not know about macadamia nuts, nor avocados and yeast dough.

I am fortunate that these are not items Boss has had access to during his life....and now I will try to ensure he does not gain access to them in future.

In many homes with pets and children, I think it is important to also educate the kids.  I know kids are great at sharing and even better at sharing with their best buddy, the family pet.  Hopefully if we educate them, they will not share their oatmeal raisin cookies with Rover.

Be well, and Happy Valentine's day.

For more information on pet safety please refer to the site we used to help compile this data:  www.aspca.org