Food sensitivity in dogs
In honor of Tigger, passed at the tender age of 6 months, I would like to discuss some myths and facts regarding foods dogs should not have. Let’s start with the list of foods:
Alcohol, Avocado, Chocolate, Coffee, citrus, coconut, grapes/raisins, macadamia nuts, milk/dairy, onions/garlic, raw meats/eggs, salty food, xylitol, uncooked yeast foods
That’s the list. Lets get the following out of the way fast:
Alcohol - a no brainer, no need to discuss
Xylitol - will kill your dog, don’t risk it (appears in many foods - read the label - also known as “birch sugar”)
Now for the rest of them:
Avocado - the dangers of avocado are limited. The plant itself is pretty toxic and skin or seeds can cause heart damage but feeding your dog a slice of avocado proportionate to his size isn’t going to kill him. Since they are high in fat however, they can lead to pancreatitis - which really could kill him.
Chocolate (and coffee): Dogs can be sensitive to methylxanthines. Will a single M&M kill your dog? Heck no! Will a canister of baking cocoa kill him? Um, yeah! All dogs have SOME level of sensitivity, some dogs have an extreme sensitivity. White chocolate is very low in methylxanthines because it is low in actual cocoa. Baking chocolate/cocoa has the most. I have often given my dog a single peanut M&M if I am indulging but would never give them a piece of dark chocolate. Use common sense here.
Citrus - the dangers of citrus are limited. Dogs should not ingest peel, seeds, or the plant itself (doing so can cause central nervous depression) but a slice of mandarin is no real danger. Use common sense here as well.
Coconut - small amounts are not dangerous. The primary issue here is the oils in the coconut which can cause diarrhea, vomiting and other GI signs as well as possible pancreatitis from the fat content. COCONUT WATER should never be given to dogs in any amount. It is high in potassium and could cause an electrolyte balance leading to failure of the muscles (including the heart).
Grapes/raisins - no one knows why but grapes and raisins cause certain dogs to go into kidney failure, which can often be fatal. There is no known rhyme or reason to which dogs are sensitive and which aren’t, or why, but for now it is in your dog’s best interest not to eat grapes or raisins.
Milk/Dairy - can cause digestive upset in dogs who do not normally get it. This is because dogs make their enzymes (lactase, protease, and amylase) on an “as needed” basis. Since their normal diet rarely includes milk or milk products, they do not create lactase in significant amounts. Use common sense here.
Macadamia nuts - these will cause a temporary paralysis in dogs, as well as vomiting and diarrhea. Effects last about 24-48 hours. Unless you want to clean a whole bunch of your house and nurse a dog that can’t walk for 2 days while they clear their system, it is better to avoid macadamias. Macadamia nuts (and ALL nuts) are high in fat which can lead to unwanted digestive issues or pancreatitis also.
Onion/Garlic/Chives - these cause red blood cell damage in dogs which can lead to anemia. A relatively large amount of them (proportionate to size) must be eaten to produce this effect. The number put out by researchers is 100 grams of onion per 20 kilograms of body weight. So a 45 pound dog would likely experience toxicity if he ate a whole medium onion.
Salty food - too much salt causes cardiovascular failure - in almost all mammals. There’s no need to give your dog salt. *Be wary here of dry, grain free dog food - salt is often added to the actual meat itself prior to processing to increase its “by volume” weight.
Raw meat/eggs - the concern with raw meat is the potential for disease causing bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli to lead to upset stomachs, skin and coat problems. I will not enter the bones and raw food diet debate here - don’t kill the messenger!
So, that’s the list. This blog post is dedicated to Scooby, and Mocha who are battling kidney failure from raisins and Tigger who lost his battle.