Foods dogs can’t eat: what never to give your dog
Everyday foods that are toxic to dogs, such as chocolate, grapes, onion and xylitol, and exactly what to do if your dog has eaten one.
A lot of scares with dogs start in the kitchen. Some foods we eat every day are toxic to them, sometimes in small amounts. This list is based on the one from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
The most dangerous
- Chocolate and cocoa. They contain theobromine and caffeine. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous.
- Xylitol. A sweetener in gum, sugar-free sweets, some peanut butters and baked goods. It can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and liver damage.
- Grapes and raisins. They can cause kidney failure, and no amount is known to be safe.
- Onion, garlic, leek and chives, raw, cooked or powdered. They damage red blood cells.
- Alcohol, including drinks and foods that contain it.
- Coffee, tea and caffeinated drinks.
- Macadamia nuts.
- Raw yeast dough, which ferments in the stomach.
Be careful with
- Milk and dairy: many adult dogs don’t digest lactose well.
- Very fatty or salty food: roast leftovers, cured meats, crisps.
- Raw meat or eggs, because of the risk of bacteria.
If they’ve eaten something on the list
- Take away what’s left and work out how much they ate and when.
- Call your vet or an emergency vet straight away, even if there are no symptoms yet.
- Don’t make them vomit or give them anything unless you’re told to.
- Bring the packaging or label: it helps work out what and how much they had.
Prevention is easy
Keep chocolate and gum out of reach, close the bin and tell visitors and children not to feed them from the table. If someone else looks after your dog, make sure they know what they can’t eat too.
This guide is for information only. If you think your dog may have been poisoned, call your vet.