Attention pet owners—even seemingly harmless foods and household items can be hazardous for your furry friends. Not to worry though, we’ve compiled a list of the biggest offenders here. Some of the items may seem counter-intuitive, given that less-processed, raw food diets for pets have come into vogue lately, but evidence shows that many foods that are nutritious for humans, like onions, nuts, and avocados, can be harmful to your animal friends. Watch the video to learn the many surprising things that can poison your pet, so you can protect Fido’s health and keep your peace of mind.
Don’t have time to watch? Read the full transcript:
Onions, garlic, shallots, and leeks: Veggies in the Allium family can cause serious damage to your dog or cat's red blood cells, causing them to burst. Weakness and an upset stomach are signs your pet may have ingested these foods.
Chocolate: The cocoa beans in chocolate contain a chemical that's toxic in small animals.
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Raisins and grapes: These can cause kidney failure in dogs. Vomiting and diarrhea typically begin within 24 hours of eating them.
Macadamia nuts: Just a few of these nuts can cause seizures, depression, vomiting, and trouble walking in dogs.
Sugarless gum: An artificial sweetener found in many sugarless gums can cause dogs’ and cats’ blood sugar to drop quickly. It can also lead to seizures and liver damage at fatal levels.
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Fruit pits: Pits from peaches, cherries and more are choking hazards and could get stuck in your pet's intestines. They also contain a compound that can lead to difficulty breathing, excess salivation, shock, seizures, and coma in dogs and cats.
Moldy food: Moldy food can lead to neurological problems, like trembling, and toxicity in pets. Watch out for vomiting, agitation, stumbling, tremors, and seizures.
Coffee: Caffeine can cause vomiting and diarrhea in pets. Or, it can overstimulate the heart and lead to death.
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Avocado: The high fat content is bad for pets. It can cause an upset stomach, vomiting, and eventually inflammation of the pancreas.
Acetaminophen: The Tylenol ingredient can be fatal for dogs and cats. They lack the necessary enzymes to break it down, leading to blood cell and tissue damage.
Aspirin (plain and buffered): Two regular aspirin can kill a cat or a small dog. Side effects of a pet swallowing aspirin include anemia, bleeding disorders, gastrointestinal problems, kidney failure, and others.
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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): While vets do prescribe these for pets, the dose is much smaller than for humans. Too much can cause life-threatening ulcers and bleeding disorders and reduce blood flow to organs.
Plants: It’s hard to determine which plants may be toxic to animals. To be safe, make sure your pets don’t chew on plants and bouquets in your home. The five most dangerous plants are lilies, azaleas, oleander, sago palm, and castor bean.
Marijuana: Eating pot may lead to a trip to the vet for your pet. Look for incontinence, weakness, lethargy, stumbling, low heart rate, dilated pupils, and vomiting.