Friday"s Facts: Poisonous Foods and Plants!

I used to give my Basti frozen grapes all the time, and then randomly found out one day that they can be poisonous to dogs! He also consumed plenty of chocolate in his day (not because it was freely given to him)! So, I thought I would spread the word on some things that our four-legged friends should stay away from.

Poisonous Foods:

Chocolate – Theobromine, an ingredient in chocolate, can attack the dog’s central nervous system. The darker a chocolate is, the more dangerous it is for dogs. When a dog eats chocolate, it can lead to serious problems, including heart issues and death.

Onions – A small amount of onions will probably not be harmful to your dog, but the thiosulphate in onions can cause problems in larger amounts. Because thiosulphate will build up in your dog’s system over time, it is better to avoid feeding your dog foods that contain onions.

Garlic – Garlic also contains thiosulphate, so should be avoided for the same reasons as onions.

Grapes – While some dogs will eat grapes and have no problems, grapes can cause kidney failure in some dogs. You should avoid feeding your dog raisins for the same reason.

Sugar Substitutes – Avoid giving your dog any foods that contain sugar substitutes, particularly those that contain xylitol. Xylitol can cause serious medical issues in some dogs, including liver failure. This includes chewing gum!! I have heard more than one story, where ONE piece of chewing gum was fatal.

Yeast –In some cases, the yeast will rise in the dog’s stomach causing very serious complications, including a rupturing in the digestive tract.

Poisonous Plants:

Azalea-In the same family as rhododendrons, azaleas can have serious effects on pets. Eating even a few leaves can result in vomiting, diarrhea and excessive drooling; without immediate veterinary attention, the pet could fall into a coma and possibly die.

Lilies-Peace, Peruvian, and Calla lilies contain oxalate crystals that cause minor signs, such as tissue irritation to the mouth, tongue, pharynx, and esophagus – this results in minor drooling. The more dangerous, potentially fatal lilies are true lilies, and these include Tiger, Day, Asiatic, Easter and Japanese Show lilies – all of which are highly toxic to cats!

Sago Palm-Very popular in warmer climates, this household and outdoor plant can be very harmful to pets. If ingested, the leaves and seeds can cause vomiting, bloody stools, damage to the stomach lining, severe liver failure and, in some cases, death.

Lantana-The leaves and berries of this plant are poisonous to most dogs. It can cause
sluggishness, weakness, bloody diarrhea and in some severe cases even death
within 2-4 days if not treated properly.

Hydrangea-Ingesting this plant can cause irritation and inflammation of the digestive tract, diarrhea, and bloody stool.

Desert Rose-This plant’s sap is poisonous to pets AND humans. The sap is released when the stem or leaves are cut. If a dog has contact with the sap, it may experience severe blistering as well as intense pain. If  the dog ingests the poison, it will show signs of vomiting, abdominal pain, and may salivate excessively. The poison can  also irritate the dog’s gastrointestinal tract, and this may result in diarrhea  and hemorrhaging.

That’s all for now! Happy Friday, & have a great weekend!