Dog Cuisine is Not Human

There are lots of plants and food that are in our kitchens, pantries, and gardens. However, just because we can eat these things, does not mean these same foods are not toxic or irritants to dogs. While I do not know all the good and bad about the food we give our dogs, I do know some foods I eat are toxic and can kill them. This post is a guide to thinking about what is safe to feed or treat these important family members.

This post would vary depending upon the pet. In the future I will look at cats.

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Who, Why, and Sources

Definition

The term “pet” is defined as a domestic or tamed animal, kept and taken care of in exchange for companionship or pleasure. But the term “pet” is starting to be considered out of date, and other terms are being used, such as “companion.” Likewise, instead of saying I am the owner of pets, some are now saying I am the guardians of animals in my care. Me, I just call them Charlie and Maggie.

Animal Companions

In 2017-2018, a survey calculated that 61% percent of USA households owned a pet. The numbers and anecdotal evidence is that those numbers have grown dramatically due to the pandemic.

The reasoning for taking responsibility for an animal’s well-being are many, and may include:

• We have kids and need help keeping them occupied and having pets, we think, teaches responsibility.
• A pet will provide me with a companion as I am feeling lonely and depressed.
• I need a service-dog in order to live and work on my own.
• Dogs provide me a sense of physical security.

In all cases, we expect them to help us in some way, and in return we take on responsibilities for their welfare and health.

Sources

I am not a veterinarian, nor a specialist in animals or their foods. So for this post I searched the web for reliable sources to pull from, and added comments only on things I know to be true. Please be cautious on what foods you share with your animal companions, and check with someone knowledgeable before you feed them something you are unsure of.

• American Kennel Club
• VCA Hospitals
• Insider
• ASPCA: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Phone Number: (888) 426-4435
• Humane Society
• Stacker

Color Index

I am following the stoplight convention, where a yellowish box means the item may be fed to your dog, but take precautions, and reddish means STOP, do not feed this to your dogs. I do not believe that this is a list of all potential or actual toxic items harmful to dogs, just the ones related to normal USA foods that I could find on the net.

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Food Toxic or Harmful to Dogs

The RSPCA states that domesticated dogs are largely carnivores that eat some omnivorous foods.While many of us feed our dogs kibble, some of us augment that dry food with either commercial wet food, leftovers from our dinner, or raw (or cooked) meat. Let’s find out what is okay to feed our friends.

Alcohol + Cannabis are toxic to dogs.

Alcohol, or foods with alcohol, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death.

VCA is explicit, dogs have more cannabinoid receptors in their brains, which means the effects of cannabis are more dramatic and potentially more toxic when compared to humans. A small amount of cannabis is all it takes to cause toxicity in cats and dogs.

For CBD ingestion, check with your vet. I know there are a lot of pet-related CBD topicals.

Allium Family are toxic to dogs: all onions, garlic, leeks, chives, scallions, and shallots.

Alliums can cause oxidative damage to the red blood cells causing ruptures leading to anemia. Garlic, often cooked with onions, are also to be avoided as it also has more side effects like elevated heart rate, weakness and collapse. Response to these foods can be delayed so if they have eaten some, monitor them for several days after consumption and be ready to take them to emergency vet services.

Apple seeds and the core are toxic to dogs.

Like many stone fruit, the seeds and cores of apples can cause dilated pupils, bright red mucous membranes, difficulty breathing, shock, and even death. This is due to cyanide, and this toxin is most potent when the fruit is wilting or rotting.

Apricot stem, leaves, and seeds are toxic to dogs.

Again this is a stone fruit that has materials containing cyanide.

Avocados are toxic to dogs.

They contain persin, a toxin that causes vomiting and diarrhea in dogs.

Decades ago, I gave the rest of my guacamole sandwich to my dog Chenoa, within 5 minutes she vomited the whole thing, plus some, up on the plush grounds of the UC Berkeley campus.

Cherry (stems, leaves, and pits) are toxic.

Again, Insider reports these cherry parts contain cyanide and can cause dilated pupils, bright red mucous membranes, difficulty breathing, shock, and death. 

Chocolate is toxic, dark chocolate especially. (Coffee + Caffeine too.)

Chocolate is very toxic and should never be given to dogs. The substance methyxanthines, stops a dogs metabolic process, and just a little will cause diarrhea and vomiting. If a lot is eaten, especially of dark chocolate, the symptoms are seizures, irregular heart beat and death. If your dog does ingest chocolate, the AKC recommends contacting a veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline ASAP.

Carob is often used in place of chocolate and that is okay for dogs to consume. But if your dog has eaten chocolate here is a calculator to tell you if the dog ate too much: chocolate dog calculator.

While my dogs do not drink coffee with me during breakfast, know that coffee beans have methyxanthines as well and should not be given to them.

Cat Food is toxic over time

Cat food will not poison a dog immediately. But over time it can lead to pancreatitis, and other health complications — including causing organ damage and potentially sudden death.

I will not discuss cat-poo, just aesthetically I can say ”ugh”. From a dogs point of view, however, they are irresistible truffles.

Cinnamon (Powder + Oil) Irritant.

Cinnamon is not toxic to dogs. However, the powder and oil can irritate their mouths, making them sick and uncomfortable. It can lower their blood sugar and lead to diarrhea, vomiting, and liver disease. If they inhale it in powder form, cinnamon can cause difficulty breathing, coughing, and choking.

Coconut Flesh + Milk + Water + Oil).

When ingested in small amounts, the SPCA writes coconut and coconut-based products are not likely to cause serious harm to your pet. The flesh and milk of fresh coconuts do contain oils that may cause stomach upset, loose stools or diarrhea.

Coconut water however, is high in potassium and should not be given to your pet. If you crack your own nuts, keep the outer bark from your dogs, they contain fiber that can cause digestive problems. Also read below, some nuts are very dangerous to dogs.

Citrus fruit oils are toxic when consumed at certain levels.

The citric acid found in fruits such as grapefruit, lemon, lime, tangerine, and orange, can cause diarrhea, vomiting and, at higher concentrations may cause the depression of the central nervous system.

Corn Cobs

Corn is not toxic, but do not give them the cob for if eaten may create an intestinal blockage. The easy way to tell dogs can eat this ingredient in general, is that corn is one of the most common ingredients in most animal foods.

Eggs (raw egg whites)

Eggs are not toxic to dogs. But the AKC reports that eating raw egg whites can contribute to biotin deficiency in dogs, which can cause skin and coat problems.

Fatty foods

Fatty foods are not toxic. But should be avoided to maintain and healthy weight. Longer term, fatty foods can play a part in illnesses such as pancreatitis.

Fish

Fish are not considered toxic, as they contains good fats and amino acids. I give my dogs the occasional salmon or sardines. But I never give them uncooked or undercooked fish and never ones with bones.

Grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs.

Grapes and raisins can play a part in kidney failure and disease. Insider reports that evidently raisons are more dangerous than grapes.

Looking similar, currants are not toxic, however many currants sold in the USA are actually just tiny raisins made from Corinth grapes and are toxic.

Hops are toxic to dogs.

Insider writes, if your dog eats hops somehow, it can cause panting, hyperthermia, seizures, and death via an unknown mechanism.

So this is a note to all those home beer makers to keep hops and dogs separated. Also do not give them beer to drink (see alcohol note above as well).

Lactose is not toxic, but dogs are generally lactose intolerant.

Most dogs are lactose intolerant, however some dogs, like Golden Retrievers, may or may not be intolerant. My dogs love cheese, but even so, I do not give them much and never serve them yogurt, milk, etc. Charlie (Golden Doodle) sees to tolerate milk, but Maggie (Havanese) does not (although she thinks she does).

But some dogs (although rare) may be so lactose intolerant that after consuming any amount of milk or milk products will experience stomach upsets like vomiting, bloating, or diarrhea.

Lemons

Lemons are okay in small amounts, but they contain multiple compounds toxic to dogs including citric acid in the fruit and psoralen in the rinds. Large quantities of citric acid can cause digestive symptoms such as an upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea. But large pieces of lemon rinds can create a blockage in the gut, which is an emergency.

Meat (raw or undercooked, bones)

The only meat issue with dogs are raw or undercooked meat, and bones. The concerns, according to Insider are Salmonella and E. coli, in raw/undercooked meat, and bones pose a risk of gastrointestinal obstruction or even punctures. Others say that cooked bones are a concern because they can splinter which causes the punctures.

Also, something we learned the hard way, some breeds have “soft teeth” and chewing on hard bones can crack those teeth. Charlie, our Goldendoodle, cracked a back molar by us giving him hard bones and this costly and painful mistake has changed what we now give him to chew on.

Mustard and Mustard Seeds are Toxic.

Mustard can cause vomiting and diarrhea. So rinse those uneaten hotdogs before passing them on to your dogs.

Nutmeg is toxic.

Just like with humans, nutmeg contains a compound called myristicin, and with a high enough amount consumed will lead to hallucinations, increased heart rate, and seizures.

Oils: All Essential Oils are toxic. But cooking their food in olive oil is ok.

Many essential oils are outright toxic for dogs, so to be safe just assume all are.

Cooking oils we use to sauté foods are generally okay for dogs in small doses. However, I would avoid oils made from ingredients toxic to dogs (e.g., avocado, hemp, and walnut oils) and stick with olive oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, etc.

Peach Pits are Toxic.

Again, peaches are stone fruit and the contain amygdalin, the same substance found in apple seeds—which releases cyanide. While it would take a handful of pits to bring on symptions, best to throw the pits away.

Potato Plants (leaves, stems, skin, or green parts) are toxic.

Insider reports that potato leaves and stems can cause vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, disorientation, lethargy, and central nervous system depression. The skin can cause vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, tremors, seizures, and cardiac arrhythmias.

Raw yeast dough brings life threatening symptoms.

While a small amount of cooked bread can be tolerated by your dog, raw dough cannot. As live yeast rises, it releases gas in the dog’s digestive system that can cause painful bloat, which may potentially rupture its stomach or cause gastric dilation and volvulus. This can quickly become a life threatening emergency.

Rhubarb is toxic for dogs.

Rhubarb can cause hypersalivation, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors and other symptoms due to oxalic acid, a substance that can create crystals in the urinary tract and can cause the kidneys to shut down.

Salty foods should be limited.

Salt is an essential component to your dog’s diet helping muscle and nerve function. However, some dogs with chronic disease such as kidney, heart or liver problems may need to watch their salt consumption. It is always important to get advice from your vet regarding the diet of your pet.

The ASPCA recommends that we avoid feeding salty snacks (potato chips, pretzels, salted popcorn) to dogs. 

Spinach can cause dangerious symptoms.

The issue is that spinach contains a high amount of oxalic acid. Stacker states that this is a substance known to interfere with dogs’ abilities to absorb calcium, that eventually can cause kidney damage. But some indicate a bit of spinach here or there is not dangerous and may be nutritious. Frankly, I would just avoid it to be safe.

Tomato Plants are toxic.

Insider writes, Tomato plants can lead to solanine toxicity, with side effects such as hypersalivation, anorexia, severe gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, lethargy, central nervous system depression, confusion, behavioral change, weakness, dilated pupils, and slow heart rate.

Tree Nuts: Macadamia nuts + Walnuts are toxic.

AKC is adamant: Macadamia nuts, part of the Protaceae family, can cause vomiting, increased body temperature, inability to walk, and lethargy. Even worse, they can affect the nervous system. Never feed your dog macadamia nuts.

Almonds are not toxic to dogs. But given their size they can block the esophagus or tear the windpipe if improperly chewed. Salted almonds are dangerious for they may increase water retention, potentially fatal to dogs with or prone to heart disease.

Cashews are not toxic to dogs. But only give a few, and make sure they are not salted. Concern here is the fat they contain and weight maintenance.

The HumaneSociety indicate walnuts should not be fed to dogs but I do not know why. Stacker reports that regular walnuts (aka English walnuts) are safe for dogs to eat, but the less common black walnut can be toxic. I just avoid feeding them walnuts.

Xylitol is an ingredient in most all diet food is toxic to dogs.

Insider reports that Xylitol, a chemical commonly included in gum, sugar-free peanut butter, and diet food in general (or so called diabetic food) was deadlier than chocolate to dogs. Also I want to note that this chemical is in some toothpastes, so make sure you use toothpaste made for dogs.

Last Tips

Do not let your dogs eat from the outdoors: no moldy foods, no wild mushrooms, other animal poop, cigarette butts (tobacco is toxic), etc.

Do not give any vitamins or supplements without speaking to a veterinarian. Some, such as iron supplements, can be dangerous or outright toxic.

My preference is to stick with goodies I know.

• Adding some veggies to their bowl (e.g., carrots, peas, sweet potatoes) that are cooked in olive oil, beef or chicken broth.
• Perhaps some limited homemade-broth cooked cereal (e.g., rice) when they have upset stomachs.
• Mainly meat (chicken, beef, pork) that I process myself, where I cut off pieces and then cook the meat before adding to their bowls.
• Occasionally, I will add some salmon or sardines to their dish, and may fry salmon skin to make them crispy treats.

—Patty

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