Things not to feed your pets....

I see many, many articles published on people food that is toxic to our pets. While I hear people comment on these articles, they rarely listen to them. We so often think of our cat or dog as our child, or family member, and many get treated as such, they get table scraps, chocolate cake, whatever we happen to be eating.

I cringe sometimes watching people do this, and then feel so sorry for the dog or cat when they become ill from all the "goodies" their owner has been feeding them. The problem is, they trust us to care for them, they don't know that it isn't good for them. They see us eating it, and figure since we're making yummy noises over it, then it's ok for them too. Well fact is folks, it isn't good for them. Taking the time to do a little research on proper dietary needs for your pet can go a long way to ensuring their health and happiness, and lowering your vet bills. Trust me, I do my best to feed the best diet I can that is proper for my "kids" and they are truly in fabulous health, and except for spaying or neutering and one accident, they haven't needed a vet just about all their lives. And I have a cat in excellent health that is almost 19.

Here is a basic list with some effects of the foods that many tend to feed their pets. And my motto is this, if it might even remotely damage their health in any way, shape, or form, then it is better to not tempt fate and just simply not give them any of it.

Alcoholic beverages	Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.
Baby food	Can contain onion powder, which can be toxic to dogs. (Please see onion below.) Can also result in nutritional deficiencies, if fed in large amounts.
Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources	Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
Cat food	Generally too high in protein and fats.
Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine	Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can be toxic and affect the heart and nervous systems.
Citrus oil extracts	Can cause vomiting.
Fat trimmings	Can cause pancreatitis.
Grapes and raisins	Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys. There have been no problems associated with grape seed extract.
Hops	Unknown compound causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures, and death.
Human vitamin supplements containing iron	Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.
Large amounts of liver	Can cause Vitamin A toxicity, which affects muscles and bones.
Macadamia nuts	Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.
Marijuana	Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.
Milk and other dairy products	Some adult dogs and cats do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhea. Lactose-free milk products are available for pets.
Moldy or spoiled food, garbage	Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.
Mushrooms	Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.
Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder)	Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs.
Persimmons	Seeds can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.
Pits from peaches and plums	Can cause obstruction of the digestive tract.
Potato, rhubarb, and tomato leaves; potato and tomato stems	Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems. This is more of a problem in livestock.
Raw eggs	Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.
Raw fish	Can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. More common if raw fish is fed regularly.
Salt	If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.
String	Can become trapped in the digestive system; called a "string foreign body."
Sugary foods	Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.
Table scraps (in large amounts)	Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never be more than 10% of the diet. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed.
Tobacco	Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.
Yeast dough	Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.

Add to this list:

Avocados  - Avocados contain a toxin known as persin.  Persin is found in various parts of the avocado and avocado trees (eg, leaves, rind, etc).  This toxin is known mostly to cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Any food containing Xylitol (artificial sweetener) it causes death by liver failure.

Please don't feed cooked bones, they splinter because the make up of the original bone structure is changed when cooked. Raw large bones, like joint bones are fine. But splinters from cooked bones can puncture their digestive tract, cut it open, or create a blockage that can kill.

Medications that we take for granted like tylenol and advil, etc are toxic to your pet and can kill them. Please don't give them to your pet.

For proper nutrition and food information for pets here are two of the best sites I have found.

For cats:  Feeding your cat , the basics of feline nutrition, Dr. Lisa Pierson, DVM

For dogs: BARF Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods

Also, our pets really weren't meant to eat grains. Many have problems digesting them, their bodies just aren't able to assimilate and use them. Cats are obligate carnivores, and while some will make the argument that oh they get veggies and carbs from eating mice and birds and the entrails, I beg to differ. Have you ever really paid attention to the lovely bits that are left from what your cat did not eat? They never, ever eat the entrails or digestive tract.  Dogs on the other hand can be opportunity eaters, but they don't on their own eat grains.

If you love your fur kid, do the best you can by them. Don't risk it by feeding them something that can be damaging. And YES the better foods are a bit more expensive, but I'll let you in on a little secret, the better made foods, no grains, their bodies can use all that food, it's nutrition, and there is very little waste, and who wouldn't want to clean up less poop? And when you feed the right stuff, the bit of poop they do excrete, doesn't smell so bad either. :-) It's so nice to not have to rake so much poop in the yard, or there's little to no kitty nuggets in the litter box either. And, because you're feeding them good stuff, their body is using the food you give them, they are healthier, the vet bills go down and the little bit more you're paying for the Good stuff makes it worth it. And just because it's expensive doesn't mean it's better. Meat should be the very first ingredient, not meat by product, or beef meal, etc because that's not pure meat. There should be no corn, wheat, or barley in the ingredients.  And no Gluten anywhere!

I could go on, but would probably wear you out so I'll stop the soap box here. :)