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GRINinc.
NEWS UPDATES
JANUARY 2008
COMMON FOODS THAT ARE HARMFUL
OR EVEN FATAL TO DOGS
Many common foods are
actually harmful or even fatal to dogs. Some of these (listed below)
will surprise you. Others are things you would never give your dog
purposefully, but now you will be more careful to not let them be in
your dog's reach. And some just need to be limited to small amounts.
Avocados (fruit, pit, and plant) are toxic to dogs. Avocados
contain a toxic component called persin, which can damage heart, lung
and other tissue in many animals. They are high in fat and can trigger
stomach upset, vomiting and even pancreatitis. Symptoms of toxicity
include difficulty breathing, abdominal enlargement, abnormal fluid
accumulations in the chest, abdomen and sac around the heart. The amount
that needs to be ingested to cause signs is unknown. The effects on dogs
and cats are not completely understood. GI signs are commonly seen and
should be treated symptomatically. In addition, the animal should be
monitored closely for other clinical signs related to the cardiovascular
system. (This information comes from veterinarians, the American
Veterinary Medicine Association, and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Center.)
Onions destroy red blood cells and can cause anemia, weakness,
and breathing difficulty. Even small amounts can cause cumulative damage
over time. This includes onions or chives - raw, powdered, dehydrated,
or cooked.
Large amounts of garlic cause the same problems as onions. Garlic
contains only a small amount of the problematic substance that is in
onions. Just as with people, moderation is the key.
Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as
a single serving of raisins can kill him. If the dog doesn't eat enough
at one time to be fatal, he can be severely damaged by eating just a few
grapes or raisins regularly.
Tomatoes (plant and fruit) contain tomatine, an alkaloid related
to solanine. As the fruit ripens, the tomatine is metabolized.
Therefore, ripe tomatoes are less likely to be problematic for animals.
Clinical signs of poisoning include lethargy, drooling, difficulty
breathing, colic, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, widely-dilated
pupils, paralysis, cardiac effects, central nervous system signs (e.g.,
ataxia, muscle weakness, tremors, seizures), resulting from
cholinesterase inhibition, coma and death. (This information comes from
veterinarians, and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.) (All parts
of the plant except the tomato itself are poisonous to humans, although
some people are sensitive to the ripe fruit also.)
Tomatoes also contain atropine, which can cause dilated pupils, tremors,
and heart arrhythmias. The highest concentration of atropine is found in
the leaves and stems of tomato plants, with less in unripe (green)
tomatoes, and even less in ripe (red) tomatoes.
Nutmeg can cause
tremors, seizures and death.
Caffeine (from coffee, coffee grounds, tea, or tea bags)
stimulates the central nervous and cardiac systems, and can cause
vomiting, restlessness, heart palpitations, and even death within hours.
Diet products containing the sweetener Xylitol can cause a sudden
drop in blood sugar, resulting in depression, loss of coordination and
seizures. Unless treatment is given quickly, the dog could die.
Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, muscle tremor and paralysis.
These symptoms are usually temporary.
Walnuts. When dogs eat the seed hulls, they can get an upset stomach
and diarrhea. The real problem is the fungus or mold that attacks
walnuts after they get wet (from rain or sprinklers), which produces
toxins. If the fungus or mold is ingested by your dogs, they can become
very ill and possibly die. Signs that should alert you to walnut
poisoning are vomiting, trembling, drooling, lack of coordination,
lethargy, loss of appetite, and jaundice indications such as yellowing
eyes and gums. Severely affected dogs can produce blood-tinged vomit or
stools. Dogs can take several days to exhibit serious signs of illness.
Chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death. Baker’s chocolate
is the most dangerous. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it
is. But any chocolate, in large enough amounts, can kill a dog. An ounce
of chocolate can poison a 30-pound dog, and many dogs will happily
consume more than this. The symptoms may not show up for several hours
(and so might make you think all is well), with death following within
twenty-four hours. A dog can consume milk chocolate and appear to be
fine because it is not as concentrated, but it is still dangerous.
Apple seeds, cherry pits, peach pits, pear pips, plums pits, and
apricot pits contain cyanide, which is poisonous. While a few apple
seeds may not cause a problem, the effects can accumulate over time if
they are given to dogs regularly. Dogs should not be allowed to chew on
a peach pit, cherry pit, apricot pit, or plum pit. Chewing can allow
ingestion of cyanide. Chewing could also result in the pit being
swallowed, causing continuous exposure to cyanide, or could cause the
dog to choke.
Too much salt can cause kidney problems. Also, large breeds of
dogs that eat salty food may then drink too much water and develop
bloat, which is fatal unless emergency treatment is given very quickly.
Too much fat or fried foods can cause pancreatitis.
Ham and bacon contain too much fat and too much salt, and can
cause pancreatitis. Also, large breeds of dogs that eat salty food may
drink too much water and develop a life-threatening condition called
bloat. This is where the stomach fills up with gas and within several
hours may twist, causing death.
Raw liver or too much cooked liver (three servings a week) can
lead to vitamin A toxicity. This can cause deformed bones, excessive
bone growth on the elbows and spine, weight loss, and anorexia. Check
the label of your canned dog food to be sure that it does not contain
liver if you are giving your dog liver also.
Wild mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage,
kidney damage, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma, or death.
Raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin, which can deplete
your dog of biotin, one of the B vitamins. Biotin is essential to your
dog’s growth and coat health. The lack of it can cause hair loss,
weakness, growth retardation, or skeleton deformity. Raw egg yolks
contain enough biotin to prevent the deficiency, so this is not a
problem with raw whole eggs. Raw egg yolks could contain salmonella, so
you should get your eggs from a reliable source or cook the eggs.
Grains should not be given in large amounts or make up a large
part of a dog’s diet, but rice is generally safe in small amounts.
Cooked bones can splinter and tear a dog’s internal organs.
Dogs can't digest most vegetables (carrots, green beans, lettuce,
potatoes or yams) whole or in large pieces. Potato peels and green
potatoes are dangerous.
Dairy products are high in fat, which can cause pancreatitis, gas
and diarrhea. A small amount of non-fat, plain yogurt is usually safe.
Pennies made from the 1980s to today contain zinc, which can
cause kidney failure and damage to red blood cells. A dog that consumes
even one penny can become quite sick, or even die, if the penny is not
removed.
"My dog ate ______ lots of times and didn't die, so ______ don't kill
dogs." That logic is no better than "My dog runs in the street all the
time and has never been hit by a car, so dogs never get hit by cars."
Between
December 15,
2007 and
January 15, 2008
we have had 5 adoptions completed!
GRINinc.
currently has 7 goldens in foster
care and
2 owner surrenders waiting to come in.
Click on
WOOF REPORT
on the left menu
to see photos of our recently adopted Goldens.
Don’t forget to check
our current
AVAILABLE DOGS
!!
WATCH FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE OF
'NEWS UPDATES'
IN MID-FEBRUARY 2008.
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ISSUE EACH MONTH
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