Chocolate Is A Seriously Toxic Food For Dogs"Discover Other Unlikely Dog Poisons And Keep Your Dog Safe!"Toxic Food For DogsAs loving dog owners, there's nothing we like more than treating our dogs to the occasional morsel of human food. However, not all human foods are safe for our pets; there are some foods that can cause our dogs serious illness, even death.
In many cases, your dog would need to eat quite a large quantity of a specific food before it had an effect on him. Also, some of the toxins may not affect your dog immediately but, over a period of time, could accumulate in his system resulting in eventual illness. It's not only the amount of 'poisonous' food your dog ingests that will have a bearing on how your dog reacts, but also his size, his current health, and whether or not he suffers from food allergies or intolerances. Puppies and older dogs may be more affected by toxins. So while reading this article on toxic food for dogs, please bear the above in mind to keep things in perspective.
At best, your dog will act as though drunk; however, in extreme cases, not only can it cause intoxication, it can also cause liver failure, seizures, coma and even death. Don't take the risk - if you're having a party, or friends round for a drink, make sure unfinished drinks are cleared away and any bottles of alcohol are safely stored away afterwards. Also, the hops in beer can be particularly toxic to dogs. (See Brewing Hops)
All parts of the avocado - fruit, stone, skin, even the leaves and plant - can cause a great deal of discomfort to dogs. If your dog eats avocado, depending upon how much he ate, it could cause problems with fluid on his lungs resulting in difficulty breathing.
If you're going to use baby food in dog biscuit recipes, or homemade dog food recipes, check the ingredients label as baby food may contain onion powder. (See Onion below)
Hops from beers can cause an increased heart rate resulting in panting, a high temperature, possible seizures, and even death. Always carefully dispose of any used hops after beer-making to aviod accidental poisoning of your dog.
Whilst fish and meat bones aren't poisonous, they can be hazardous. You should never give your dog cooked bones, particularly chicken bones, as they can splinter and choke your dog. Sharp or splintered bones can also cause considerable damage to your dog's digestive system. 
Broccoli can be toxic to dogs only if fed in very large quantities. We often give our Cocker Spaniel a couple of small florets of broccoli if there's any left over from dinner.
As cat food contains a high proportion of protein and fats, it's a particularly toxic food for dogs, especially when fed over a long period of time. A diet such as this, ie too much fat, can cause pancreatitis.
Please don't underestimate the effect that chocolate can have on dogs - even small amounts of chocolate can kill your dog!
Chocolate contains theobromine which can be quite poisonous to dogs. It affects the heart and the nervous system and can cause an increase in heart rate, seizures, abdominal pain, panting, drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea, coma and even death. Theobromine is also a diuretic. Cooking chocolate, cocoa, and dark chocolate usually contain higher levels of theobromine and are therefore more toxic than milk or white chocolate. As the signs of chocolate poisoning can be slow to develop, if you suspect your dog has accidently eaten chocolate, we recommend you take him to see his vet - don't wait for the symptoms to show as death may follow within 24 hours. The only chocolate safe enough for pets are the special dog chocolate drops that can be bought from pet shops.
Citrus fruits, such as oranges, limes or lemons are not good for your dog as they can cause severe digestive pain and vomiting.
Believe it or not, some dogs are lactose intolerant! Such an intolerance can lead to diarrhoea and wind and general tummy upsets. Many dairy products are also high in fat, so we recommend keeping dairy foods to a minimum in your dog's diet to reduce the chances of your dog developing pancreatitis.
Apart from the risk of salmonella poisoning, raw egg contains avidin which is an enzyme that reduces your dog's ability to absorb vitamin B, which can result in his coat looking rather dull and lifeless and can also cause skin problems.
Too much fat in your dog's diet can cause pancreatitis; a condition which can be fatal for your dog. A healthy pancreas produces enzymes to digest a normal, healthy, intake of fat. A high level of fat in your dog's diet will cause him to produce an increased and abnormal level of enzymes, which will result in a swollen and inflamed pancreas. Please be aware of just how much fat you feed your dog, and watch those fatty table scraps - the rind and fat from bacon, ham, or cheese - I'm sure you've often heard the phrase, 'killing him with kindness'.....? It certainly applies here!
Raw fish sometimes carry a parasite called flukes.
Symptoms of poisoning are vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, and a general lack of well-being. Raw fish can also result in a thiamine (a type of vitamin B) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in very severe cases, death - especially where raw fish is eaten quite regularly. Fish is good for your dog, it's high in omega oils and low in fat - just make sure it's cooked!
There are many fruit pips, stones, and seeds that can be toxic for dogs. If your dog enjoys the occasional apple or pear, make sure you remove the pips first. Fruit seeds to be wary of include pears, apples, peaches and plums. 
Grapes and raisins should never be fed to dogs as they can damage their kidneys - even a small handful can cause illness. The function of the kidneys is to remove toxins from the body, so if the kidneys are damaged and malfunctioning, it will cause a buildup of toxins, leading to renal failure and eventual death. Symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, lethargy and a reduction in urinating.
Whilst liver is not poisonous to dogs, too much liver in your dog's diet is said to produce an excess of Vitamin A, which can adversely affect muscles and bones. Liver treats are available in the form of dried morsels or tablet form - always check the manufacturer's label as it will often limit the number of treats you can give your dog per day. Used carefully, liver treats can be a great aid when training a puppy! Our Cocker Spaniel loves liver and will do almost anything for it, but he only gets it as an occasional treat.
Please don't feed your dog macadamia nuts. They are high in phosphorates and can affect the digestive and nervous system causing serious tremors and paralysis of the hind legs. These symptoms may only be a temporary situation and the paralysis will eventually right itself over a couple of days, but the experience can cause extreme distress to your pet.
Milk (and certain other dairy products) can cause serious diarrhoea in dogs and shouldn't be given to your pet. However, a little yoghurt or cottage cheese in his diet won't hurt.
This may seem a fairly obvious statement, but spoiled food shouldn't be give to your dog. If the food's not safe enough for humans, it's not safe for dogs - take care, and keep a tight lid on kitchen and outside garbage bins!
Certain mushrooms can contain toxins that cause a range of symptoms varying from a mild sickness to serious illness or even death. Specific symptoms of mushroom poisoning in dogs include drooling, acute abdominal pain, kidney and liver damage, sickness and diarrhoea, seizures, and death. With this in mind, it's important to keep a watchful eye on your Cocker Spaniel when out in the woods to ensure he doesn't accidently eat poisonous mushrooms.
Nutmeg may not be a poison in the strictest sense of the word, but it can seriously affect your dog's central nervous system and can cause seizures and tremors.
Onions and garlic contain the toxin thiosulphate which can cause hemolytic anemia in your dog.
Symptoms may include liver damage, vomiting, diarrhoea, laboured breathing and discoloured urine from the burst blood cells. You may be surprised to find that onions are added to many foods, either in powdered or dry form. Additionally, many dog biscuit recipes include baby food which sometimes contains powdered onion, so it pays to check the ingredients label. There seems to be much confusion about garlic and onion in your dog's diet. Onions are much more of a threat to your dog's health than garlic. In fact, is said that garlic in your dog's diet can be good for him as it acts as a natural flea repellant. As there is much less thiosulphate in garlic, your dog would need to eat quite a lot of it for it to adversely affect him. Our research shows that whilst onions and garlic in large quantities could cause serious illness, a little of either in your dog's diet won't hurt. However, if you're in any doubt about whether or not to include certain foods in your dog's diet, we recommend you discuss this with your vet.
In the same way that peanuts can trigger an allergy in humans, it can also cause a serious reaction in dogs. It's best not to give your dogs peanuts anyway as they're high in salt and fat.
Persimmon seeds can cause a blockage in the intestines and may also cause enteritis.
They contain oxalates which can affect your dog's nervous system as well as causing digestive and urinary problems. To keep things in perspective, not many dogs have potato peelings high up on their list of luxury foods - incidents of dogs poisoned by potato peelings are rare!
Rhubarb leaves also contain oxalates - which are toxic both humans and to dogs - and can affect the nervous, urinary, and digestive systems.
Salt should be kept to a minimum in your dog's diet as too much can cause muscle spasm and seizures, dehydration, and loss of appetite - it can even cause heart and kidney problems.
Whilst sugar may not be poisonous to dogs, too much of it in their diet can cause health problems. A diet high in sugar may result in tooth decay, obesity, and can also contribute to the onset of diabetes mellitus. A nutritional Cocker Spaniel diet will contain enough natural sugars to satisfy your dog's needs. If you don't want your dog to develop diabetes, don't feed him sugary sweets, cakes or biscuits - it's as simple as that!
Artificial sweeteners, such as Xylitol, can be toxic to dogs and can cause liver damage, and in extreme cases, even death.
I don't know of any owners who give their dog tea and coffee - however, you never know! Tea and coffee are not good for your dog as they both contain caffeine and a substance called xanthine - similar to theobromine found in chocolate. Caffeine can also be found in many soft drinks. Symptoms are similar to chocolate poisoning.
(The potato, and rhubarb plant can have similar effects as the tomato plant, and all green parts should be avoided.) In extreme cases, atrophine can affect the nervous system, cause seizures and heart problems. Unripe tomatoes, tomato leaves, and stems, are toxic to dogs and should be kept locked in the greenhouse!
If you're planning on making your own bread, don't leave the dough within reach of your dog. If eaten, the yeast dough will expand two to three times its size inside your dog's stomach and can cause terrible wind and considerable digestive pain - it could even rupture your dog's stomach or intestines.  Although our list of toxic food for dogs is fairly comprehensive, it's certainly not exhaustive - we couldn't possibly list all foods that could potentially act as dog poisons. And it's not just certain foods that we need to be wary of. There are many house and garden plants that may be harmful to your dog, so keep an eye on him when he's in the garden to ensure he stays away from poisonous plants! If you are in any doubt about what you can or can't feed your Cocker Spaniel, we strongly recommend that you contact your vet for advice and if you suspect your pet has ingested one of our blacklisted foods or plants, please don't waste any time - contact your vet immediately for advice! Search our site!  Custom Search Return to top of page - Toxic Food For Dogs Return to Dog Poisoning - What Every Dog Owner Should Know! Return to the Cocker Spaniel Homepage Titles In The Dog Poisoning SeriesDog Poisoning - What Every Dog Owner Should Know!Dog Poison - Foods You Must Never Feed Your Dog More Dog Poisons - Dangerous Household Chemicals And Toxins Beware - Rat Poison Can Kill Pets Too! Which Poisonous Plants Can Harm My Dog? |
We believe it's important to put things into perspective when it comes to the toxicity of certain foods and how they can affect your dog.
Alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and spirits, can be poisonous to dogs.
The occasional egg or two is good for your dog but they should always be cooked. 
When ingested, they attach themselves to the dog's intestines where they introduce harmful bacteria into the dog's bloodstream.
This condition can cause red blood cells to burst resulting in a reduced oxygen supply to the dog's vital organs.
Whilst cooked potatoes are good for your dog, green, raw potatoes and potato peelings are not. 
Green tomatoes, tomato leaves and stems contain atrophine which can cause excessive drooling, vomiting, and diarrhoea if eaten by our dogs.