

Dark chocolate, semisweet chocolate, and unsweetened baker's chocolates are the most dangerous, while milk and white chocolates have smaller amounts (though they can be toxic, too). The culprit is theobromine, an alkaloid that can cause cardiac arrhythmias and central nervous system dysfunction in dogs. ChocolateĬhocolate is one of the most commonly recognized toxins for dogs. Even if the yeast doesn't cause a life-threatening emergency, it can severely bloat your pup's stomach, causing intense pain and discomfort.

Additionally, yeast dough can rise as it moves through the digestive system, potentially twisting the stomach-a situation that can lead to death. YeastĮating unbaked bread dough can be extremely dangerous for your dog because the fermenting yeast gets rapidly absorbed in the bloodstream, where it produces enough ethanol to cause alcohol poisoning. "Exactly what amount of persin is lethal isn't known, but in large amounts, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea, myocardial damage, and its high fat content can lead to pancreatitis," the American Kennel Club (AKC) explains. The high fat content is also dangerous because it can inflame their pancreas. They are only dangerous to dogs in large quantities however, veterinarians recommend keeping them away due to the large pits, too, which can get lodged in their throats. "While tiny amounts of these foods in some pets, especially dogs, may be safe, large amounts can be very toxic." AvocadoĪvocados are dangerous to many animals, not only dogs, partly due to a fungicidal toxin called persin. " Signs of garlic poisoning can be delayed and not apparent for several days," explains the Pet Poison Helpline. It takes a lot of garlic to cause toxicity but some breeds, particularly Japanese ones (such as akitas and shiba inus), are particularly susceptible. Garlic is an allium, a family of foods that can be fatal to dogs due to a compound called thiosulfate that damages red blood cells. You may also like: Most popular house-friendly dogs Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.Įven with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. Certain substances can actually cause more damage coming back up and are best left in a dog's stomach.


If you suspect your dog has eaten something toxic, VetsNow recommends never induce vomiting unless a poison control expert has instructed you to do so. Signs of food poisoning in dogs can vary widely but key symptoms include things like vomiting, diarrhea, dilated pupils, loss of appetite, restlessness, staggering, and disorientation. Although some foods are not toxic in small doses, larger quantities can be fatal. "Why? Because all animals have very different rates of metabolism." Another problem is that dogs have voracious appetites and don't always know when to stop. "Foods that are perfectly suitable for human consumption, as well as other animals, may be toxic and even poisonous to your dog, posing a serious threat to their health and well-being," Michelle Schenker writes for Canine Journal. They also weigh far less, which means their bodies can't absorb things as quickly. Part of the reason we can eat foods that they can't is that dogs are so much smaller than us. However, human food can be dangerous for dogs, even types of food that are completely safe for us. It's natural, then, given how much time we spend with our four-legged companions, to assume they can eat with us, too. As man's best friend, dogs do everything with us: walk around town, ride in the car, play in the yard, and snuggle on the couch.
