DDogs can be so cute and adorable that you want to just feed them with anything in our pockets. Most dog owners do this, we feed them with chocolates, avocados, unhealthy treats and even from our plates, all to please the dogs. But do you know that it’s is a wrong practice just to feed your dog with anything that you feel like? You are not only jeopardizing the health of the dog, but you are also putting its life in danger. I know we mean no harm when we pass a chocolate cookie to the dog but in reality, you are causing more harm than good.
Things your dog should never ever eat – and what if he did?
Owners aren’t the only ones at fault when it comes to the issue of feeding the dog with wrong substances, strangers, friends, and neighbors are also trying to pass treats at every opportunity to our dog without knowing their dietary plans. So it brings us to the question, what are the things that the owner should ensure that the dog should not eat?
Common stuff the dog should never eat
Some of the common stuff the dog shouldn’t eat are listed below
Avocado: They usually make their fungicide called the person and guess what dogs are allergic to it. So keep your avocado fruits, seeds, leaves and trees away from your dogs.
Chocolate: Chocolate contains Theobromine which when consumed can cause great damages to the dog’s nervous system, vomiting, weight loss and diarrhea are some of the effects of chocolate on dogs.
Alcohol: As much as it is funny to see your dog drunk, it can be a very painful experience for them, and it lead to poisoning and sometimes even death in some cases.
Coffee: Irregularities of the heart, muscle problems and restlessness are some of the negative effects coffee has on dogs.
Milk: as much as we are tempted to give milk to our dogs, we shouldn’t. We have enzymes that can break down the lactose found in milk whereas dogs do not, and these can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and even intestinal upset.
Gums and candies: they are usually made with a sweetener called xylitol, and they are super toxic to the dogs (liver diseases are some of the effects of xylitol on dogs).
Sugar: they can cause obesity among dogs as well as diabetes. Even if the sugar is xylitol free, it should be avoided.
Raisins and Grapes: they are known to cause kidney failure in dogs and should be completely avoided even in small amounts.
Salt: dehydration, dry mouth, vomiting, high temperature, and death are some of the things salts can cause. Don’t let your dog come in contact with the salt.
Onions and garlic: They are known to cause stomach irritation as well as other abdominal problems when consumed in large amounts.
Other harmful items around the house that should be kept out of the reach of dogs include
Medications
Soaps
Detergents
What to do when your dog eats something it wasn’t supposed to eat
Truth is as much as we try, we can never be too careful or completely prevent our dogs from chucking down on some the stuff we’ve mentioned above and even other harmful (poisonous) substances. When it does happen because it will, we have to be ready as owners to take immediate action, those few minutes you notice that the dog has eaten an item it shouldn’t, could be key in saving the life of the dog. So how do you react as an owner when you see your dog has eaten something it shouldn’t.
If the material is a poisonous substance (detergent and soap), first get the dog away from the area, so he doesn’t consume more of the substance. You can worry about doing the clean up later.
Put a call through to the nearest Vet hospital, or if you have a personal vet doctor, you can put a call to the doctor explain the situation of things to them. You can also call a 24 hours emergency animal health center. They would have the proper know-how of how best to administer treatment to the dog.
It is important you don’t induce force vomiting except it is instructed by the vet. Some materials can be very painful coming out as much as going in inside the body.
Signs to show that your dog has eaten a foreign item
Most cases you won’t even know your dog has eaten a foreign material. We all wish they could talk and then relay some of their issues to us, but they can’t. This is where our observational abilities as owners come into play. They can’t tell you they feel bad, but you can watch and see via their reaction, attitude, and appearance if something is wrong. The following, symptoms and appearance exhibited by the dog might indicate that something is wrong and the dog has taken in a foreign substance.
- Inability to eat (strong lack of appetite)
- Mild to severe Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea or constipation may be experienced
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Changes in some of the behavior of the dog
- Difficulty in movement
- Dry pupils
- Redness of the eye
- Dry skin (sometimes might be itchy)
- Tired breathing and excessive panting
- Reduction in activity levels
- Laziness
- Too much drinking and excessive urination
- Drooling
Although some of these symptoms might not only mean the dog has ingested a foreign material, it could also mean they might be sick, so it is important as soon as you observe these changes, you get in touch with your Vet doctor ASAP.
Why your dog never eat stuff from strangers or something lying on the ground
Dogs are part of the family and are to be loved with utmost care and attention. Same way you would treat a child is almost the same way should treat your dog. Let’s put this question out there for everyone “would you allow any stranger feed your kid with a treat on the street?”. It is the obvious majority of the answer we would get would be a fat No. It is alarming most times as to how our dogs are allowed to be feed by strangers with treats we don’t even know their origin or makeup.
Although not all Strangers are bent on inflicting injury or discomfort to our dogs through what they feed them, sometimes, these strangers mean well and want to show genuine kindness and care to our dogs. Sometimes it could even be neighbors and workplace buddies and so on that would want to pass a treat to your dog. As long as they are not you, they shouldn’t be allowed to give the dog any treat whatsoever. Many things could go wrong with their actions, and an ill fate might befall the dog. Do not allow strangers or people, in general, to feed your dog because
Firstly, you don’t know the type of treatment they are given the dog. Whether it is low quality or a high-quality treat, your dog might be allergic to some of the ingredients used in preparing the treat and not just that; some might lead to kidney diseases and other syndromes
Apart from that, the dietary imbalance can become a problem when a dog is administered a foreign treat. Problems such as excessive vomiting and diarrhea can affect the dog which in turn would probably lead to weight loss and reduction of energy
Physical conditions such as weight loss, skin infection, ear infection, loss of hair and itching can be caused by a harmful treat fed knowingly or unknowingly to your dog
Another reason why it would be unwise to allow strangers feed your dog would be that it can disrupt the dietary plans of the dog if it’s on a strict diet.
The problem alone isn’t just with strangers feeding them. Problems can also arise when the dogs are fond of eating anything they see on the floor from rocks, to paper, soil and even sticks. Dietary problems, allergies, diseases and other side effects can arise if the dogs are allowed to feed on anything they see.
A way to stop strangers feeding your dog would be to stack your pockets with a treat that is approved by your veterinary doctor and offer it to the strangers instead and explain that your dog in on a very strict diet and they should feed him with your treat instead. That way everyone wins.
Conclusion
As much as dogs want to eat anything they see, as owners it is important we don't allow such to happen. Apart from the negative effects, it would have on the dog; it isn't ideal to put your dog in a situation of harm or pain that might result from taken in foreign materials. The same way we wouldn't allow strangers feed our kids, ought to be the same way we prevent strangers from feeding our dogs. It falls on you as an owner to properly ensure the safety of your dog, and that starts with feeding them with the right food and preventing them from eating harmful substances.