Poisonous Foods for Dogs

Alcohol
Causes intoxication and possible death.

Apple seeds
Apple seeds release a natural form of cyanide which when digested can be toxic to your dog.

Chewing gum and candy
May contain Xylitol, a substitute for sugar which may cause liver failure and even death.

Chocolate
Chocolate contains Theobromine which cannot be digested effectively by the dogs’ digestive system. Excessive Theobromine can cause vomiting, diarrhea, a rapid heart rate and death.

Coffee
Caffeine found in coffee and other drinks may cause vomiting, diarrhea and death if large quantities are induced. One or two laps of coffee shouldn’t affect a dog.

Fat trimmings
These can cause pancreatitis

Grapes and raisins
Up to one third of dogs may be affected by the intake of grapes or raisins. Ingestion of these can cause kidney failure. The causes of this are still unclear but as much as a hand full of grapes or raisins can make a dog very ill.

Hops (ingredient used to brew beer)
If ingested may cause malignant hyperthermia which can be fatal

Human vitamins
 In general human vitamins won’t cause harm to your dog but vitamins containing Iron must be avoided, especially pre-natal vitamins which have high doses of Iron. Large quantities of Iron can cause iron poisoning which affects the cardiovascular, nervous and gastrointestinal systems. Large doses can be fatal to the liver as dogs are not able to excrete excess iron.

Liver
Liver contains very high levels of Vitamin A so long-term overdoses can cause excessive bone growth on the spine and elbows as well as weight loss and diarrhea. A couple nibbles of liver should not harm a dog.

Onions
Excessive amounts of onion may cause Heinz-body anemia in a dog. This condition causes a drop in the red blood cells and lowered oxygen levels to the body’s organs. The dog will start breathing more rapidly as the lungs work harder to make up for the loss in oxygen.

Raw fish
Raw fish in moderation will not harm your dog but excessive raw fish in a dogs’ diet can cause a deficiency of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) due to an enzyme found in raw fish. This deficiency can cause a loss of appetite, seizures and even death.

Yeast dough
Once ingested the yeast starts to multiply in the dogs stomach causing the dough to expand. The expanded dough pushes up against the stomach which then puts pressure on the diaphragm and makes breathing very difficult. The yeast also creates alcohol which can intoxicate the dog and cause death.