Toxic foods for dogs

There are a number of lists out there that help dog owners like us understand what is dangerous to feed our dogs. One thing we've noticed is that many of these lists include foods that are not actually toxic, but rather are considered un-healthy choices. In our minds that is entirely different than labelling something as toxic. So we decided to make a list of our own to help you understand real immediate dangers from those that are just poor choices.

Really dangerous - Toxic in small doses:

• Avocado skin and pit (the fruit flesh is ok)

• Dark Chocolate (toxic ingredients are theobromine and caffeine)

• Hops (raises body temperature to dangerous levels, but is treatable)

• Macadamia Nuts

• Tobacco

• Xylitol (sugar replacement found in some low fat foods)

Dangerous if ingested in moderate to large doses:

• Alcohol (alcohol toxicity in pets is very rare)

• Milk Chocolate (Milk chocolate contains less of the toxic ingredient theobromine)

• Caffeine in large doses (a stolen slurp of your morning java is totally ok)

• Fruit pits and seeds (like apple, apricot, peach, plum)

• Allium Vegetables (like garlic, onions, leeks, chives)

• Grapes and raisins

• Green Tomatoes (red tomatoes are fine)

• Nutmeg

Can cause blockages of the digestive tract:

• Cooked Bones - they can fracture into sharp pieces

• Corn Cobs - get stuck and block digestive tract

• Raw bread dough - Can cause bloating as the yeast grows in the digestive tract

• Rawhide chews

Can contribute to obesity:

• Cat Food

• Fat Trimmings

• Sugar

Totally fine in small doses:

• Liver

• Cheese

• Salt

Misconceptions:

• Avocado flesh (flesh is not toxic and is full of good fats and vitamins)

• Coconut and Coconut Oil (great as a supplement in food and for fur and skin)

• Brewers Yeast (rich in B vitamins, promotes healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver function)