If you have a pet dog or cat, then you know the extent to which a family can get attached to pets. They are one among you! Taking care of your pet is essential and you must know what food to avoid for your pet.
Alliums
Onions, garlic, chives- and any food seasoned with them is a big no-no for your dog and cat as well! As they are associated with a disorder called hemolytic anemia which can damage the red cells in your dog’s body. The same goes for spices such as onion and garlic powder. If your dog eats any of these alliums watch out for the below symptoms:
* Disorientation
* Fatigue
* Pale gums
* A rapid heartbeat
As, the disease progresses you can notice your dog developing dark urine, jaundice and vomiting. Get your pet dog’s blood tested if you notice any of the signs.
If you have a pet dog or cat, then you know the extent to which a family can get attached to pets. They are one among you! Taking care of your pet is essential and you must know what food to avoid for your pet.
Chocolate, caffeine and coffee
All these products contain a substance known as methylxanthines which are found in cocoa seeds, and its fruit is used to make coffee (and also the nuts which are used to make sodas).If consumed by pets,methylxanthines can cause vomiting, diarrhea, high body temperature, abdominal discomfort, increased thirst, and seizures. Dark chocolate is more dangerous for your pet’s health than white chocolate.
Fried or fatty food
Foods that are overly fatty should not be fed to a dog or a cat. Even fried chicken, burger etc are dangerous as they are toxic for their health. If they eat such food, it can cause an inflammation in the pancreas, which causes that organ to produce enzymes that can severely damage your pet’s intestines.
Grapes
Even scientists are not sure how it is toxic for dogs and cats or which compound makes a dog sick but there is a well-known association between grapes and acute kidney failure in some pups.
Even raisins and currants are toxic as they have an even stronger toxic punch than grapes. These are dry fruits and therefore the compounds are more concentrated. If your dog eats even a single grape then watch out for signs such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration, lethargy, low urine output, and weakness.
Nehmat Brar with Camaro
Raw Meat
You should never feed raw meat to your dog as it can wreak havoc on the digestive system. Uncooked meat can lead to infection such as E.coli and Salmonella. In case of cats, raw meat, eggs, and bones are too toxic and it has the same effect as of raw meat.
Salty Food
Food containing excess salt can cause sodium ion poisoning in dogs leading to depression, diarrhea, high fever, excessive thirst, kidney damage, seizures, and vomiting. A single potato chip might not be harmful but a whole bag of it can be.
Xylitol
Nowadays more and more manufactures are adding this low-calorie sugar substitute to processed food such as baked goods, breath mints, gums, mouthwashes, toothpastes and more. As a dog owner you should know that even a little bit of sweetener can cause a rapid strike in animal’s insulin level which can cause blood sugar to plummet to dangerous levels.
Milk and Dairy Products
Even though your dog and cat enjoy drinking milk it is not good for your pets. Cats face trouble digesting the lactose in milk, which can cause diarrhea. For dogs it is not so dangerous but it can upset the dog’s stomach causing diarrhea.
Dog Food
You should not feed dog food to your pet cat as cats’ need of nutrients is very different from that of a dog. Cat food should contain plenty of vitamin A, taurine, arachidonic acid and protein, a dog can survive on low level of vitamins but cats cannot.
Dogs are able to produce taurine and arachidonic acid but cats do not. Without sufficient amount of taurine cats can develop heart disease, vision and dental issues.
Sugar
Avoid feeding sugar and sugar containing food to your dog as too much sugar can cause dental issues, obesity and even diabetes.
Alcohol
Crazy idea isn’t it?! Never feed your dog and cat alcohol as it leads to intoxication and major lack of co-ordination, poor breathing, bad breath, abnormal acidity.
Photography by Puneet Arora