General Foodstuffs and Dogs

Phil Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:53 am

In a previous topic I specifically talked about vegetables, but, what about all the other foods that you may feed your dog (either directly or indirectly because they have been foraging).

Here a few more foodstuffs that should either be avoided or care taken when feeding to your dog.

Cat Food	Generally too high in protein and fats.
Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources	Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
Fish (raw, canned or cooked)	If fed exclusively or in high amounts can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death
Human vitamin supplements containing iron	Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.
Marijuana	Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.
Milk and other dairy products	Some adult dogs (and cats) may develop diarrhea if given large amounts of dairy products.
Moldy or spoiled food, waste	Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.
Raw eggs	Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.
Raw meat	May contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Salt	If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.
String	Can become trapped in the digestive system; called a "string foreign body."
Sugary foods	Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.
Table scraps (in large amounts)	Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never be more than 10% of the diet. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed.
Tobacco	Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.
Xylitol (artificial sweetener)	Can cause very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can result in vomiting, weakness and collapse. In high doses can cause liver failure.
Fat trimmings	Can cause Pancreatitis