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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Pet Food Institute (PFI), a non-profit organization that provides factual information about pet food safety, nutrition, and health to pet lovers, warns that seemingly harmless human snack foods like nuts, fruit and chocolate can cause dogs to experience kidney failure, lethargy, muscle tremors, paralysis and, in extreme cases, death. PFI has expanded its education program to The Bahamas, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos and Trinidad.
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Fruits, Nuts and Chocolates Can Be Deadly for Dogs
When it comes to our canines, few of us can resist those big brown eyes and puppy kisses that cry out for our undivided attention, not to mention our table scraps.
No matter how good you think your guacamole is, though, you should never offer your dog a sample. Sharing food with Fido may seem harmless—and even like a well-deserved treat—but in addition to encouraging bad begging behaviours and possibly even weight gain thanks to the extra calories, you could actually be putting your dog’s health and life at risk. In fact, many of the healthy foods we keep around the house can trigger serious toxic reactions in pets.
“Avocados contain a substance called persin,” said Emma Mary Emma Young, Director of Communications for Pet Food Institute (PFI), a non-profit organization that provides factual information about pet food safety, nutrition, and health to pet lovers. promotes initiatives to advance pet nutrition and the overall quality of pet food. “Persin is harmless for humans, but large amounts might be poisonous to dogs.”
The same goes for grapes, raisins, plums, peaches, persimmons and macadamia nuts. The very foods humans eat for a nutritional boost can cause dogs to experience everything from kidney failure to lethargy, depression and vomiting.
It’s important but not always well-known information like that which is driving the Washington, D.C.-based trade association to spread its message to an ever wider audience that now includes The Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos.
“As you leave food out on your kitchen counter, it’s important to remember that grapes and raisins can cause vomiting and kidney failure in dogs. It isn't clear why grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure, but just a small amount can make a dog vomit repeatedly,” Young said, adding that fruits with seeds or pits like peaches and plums lead to intestinal obstructions. “Pits contain cyanide, which is poisonous to both humans and dogs. While a human knows not the eat the pit of these fruits, dogs do not.The difference is humans know not to eat them. Dogs don't.”
Perhaps the most menacing mix of all, though, is chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. As few as six raw or roasted macadamias can cause a dog to experience vomiting and tremors, but add chocolate and the situation can become downright deadly due to a dangerous combination of caffeine and theobromine.
“Beware of feeding your pet anything that might contain chocolate, especially dark chocolate ,and always keep it out of reach,” Young said. “Even just one chocolate chip cookie can cause big problems and remember to keep your human snacks out of reach from your pet.”
For more information about PFI and pet food products, visit www.petfoodinstitute.org.
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