The following is a detailed but not comprehensive list of food stuffs and substances that can be toxic to dogs. This page is for informational purposes and is intended only as a guide. ACES can not be held responsible for any harm arising to your dog through the interpretation of this text. If you suspect that your dog may of eaten any of the items listed below or is unwell, you should consult a professional vet immediately.

Baby Food - Before feeding any baby food to your dog check the ingredients to see if it contains onion powder, which can be toxic to dogs. Feeding baby food in large amounts may result in nutritional deficiencies.

Corn on the cob - Many dogs have suffered and, in some cases, died after eating corn-on-the-cob, because the corncob caused a partial or complete intestinal obstruction. Never allow your dog access to corn on the cob.

Bread Dough - When bread dough is ingested, your dog's body heat causes the dough to rise in the stomach producing gas which can lead to rupture of the digestive system. During the rising process, alcohol is produced as the dough expands. Pets that have eaten bread dough may experience abdominal pain, bloat, vomiting, disorientation and depression. A pet needs to eat only a small amount to cause a problem, because bread dough can rise to many times its size.

Avocado - Avocado contains a toxic element called persin, which can damage heart, lung and other tissue in many animals. Avocadoes are high in fat content and can trigger an upset stomach, vomiting or even pancreatitis. The seed pit is also toxic and if swallowed can become lodged in the intestinal tract where it may cause a severe blockage which will have to be removed surgically. Since avocado is the main ingredient in guacamole, be sure and keep your dog out of the dip. All parts of the avocado and avocado tree are toxic to dogs.

Macadamia Nuts - The toxic compound is unknown but eating as few as six nuts without the shell has been known to cause elevated body temperature, accelerated heartbeat, tremors in the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters. Affected dogs have difficulty or are unable to rise, are distressed and usually panting. Some affected dogs have had swollen limbs and showed pain when the limb was manipulated. Dogs did recover from the muscle weakness and pain and it is not known if there have been any fatal cases. Macadamia butter is included in this warning.

Fruit - Peaches Pears Plums Cherries & Apples

The seed pits contains cyanogenic glycosides, which can cause cyanide poisoning

Water - Yet another surprise to find on the Bad Foods List is water, but there are dangers lurking in water that you need to be aware of. Stagnant water in ponds, bogs, small lakes, canals, seasonal creeks and other places where water sets still may contain harmful bacteria (Leptospira interrogans) and parasites such as giardia. Toilet water with freshener or cleaners in the tank or bowl contains toxic chemicals.

Play dough - Homemade play dough contains high levels of salt. When ingested this can cause salt poisoning which can be fatal.

Nutmeg - Nutmeg is reported to be a hallucinogenic when ingested in large doses. Nutmeg has been known to cause tremors, seizures and central nervous system damage & in some cases, death.

Deep fried foods - Bacon, sausages, hot dogs Turkey skin

Cakes - fruit cake, plum pudding

Fatty foods & pancreatitis - Rich, fatty foods can be very dangerous to dogs susceptible to attacks of pancreatitis. Often you may not know that your dog is susceptible until he is very sick with his first attack. It is often the smaller, more energetic breeds like miniature or toy poodles, cocker spaniels, miniature schnauzers, and other small terrier-type dogs that seem particularly prone. However, any dog may have a problem. It is best to avoid these foods altogether.

Signs of pancreatitis generally include an acute onset of vomiting (sometimes with diarrhoea) and abdominal pain, which may be evidenced as a hunched posture or "splinting" of the abdomen when picked up. The dog may become very sick quickly and often needs intensive fluid and antibiotic therapy.

Raw eggs & fish - Raw eggs and raw fish can cause Salmonella poisoning.

Sugar-free foods - containing Xylitol have been found to cause liver failure in some dogs.

Onions & garlic - Onions and garlic contain the toxic ingredient Thiosulphate.

Onions cause hemolytic anemia, which means that the red blood cells break down leaving the dog short of oxygen. Onion poisoning can occur with a single ingestion of large quantities or with repeated meals containing small amounts of onion. The condition generally improves once the dog has been prevented from eating any further onion. The poisoning may occur a few days after the dog has eaten the onion. At first dogs affected by onion poisoning show gastroenteritis with vomiting and diarrhoea, weakness and show little or no interest in food. The red pigment from the burst blood cells appears in an affected dog's urine making it dark colored. The dog will experience shortness of breath because the red blood cells that carry oxygen through the body are reduced in number. Other symptoms are elevated body temperature, confusion, and increased heart rate. Seek veterinary care immediately.

The quantity of onions, raw or cooked, required is high enough that dogs can generally tolerate small doses of onions without any problem and moderate amounts of onion without apparent signs of onion poisoning. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions and/or garlic. Left over pizza, Chinese dishes and commercial baby food containing onion, sometimes fed as a supplement to young pets, can cause illness.

However, onions are more of a danger. Many dog biscuits contain small amounts of garlic – garlic contains less of this toxin so huge amounts would need to be consumed to be toxic. In addition, this poison builds up in the system – it can be toxic in one large dose – or with repeated consumption of small amounts.

Grapes & raisins - Although the minimum lethal dosage is not known, grapes and raisins can be toxic to dogs when ingested in large quantities. The symptoms are gastrointestinal signs including vomiting and diarrhoea, and then signs of kidney failure with an onset of severe kidney signs starting about 24 hours after ingestion. The amount of grapes eaten varied between 9 oz. and 2 lbs., which worked out to be between 0.41 and 1.1 oz/kg of body weight. There have been cases reported where two dogs died directly from the toxicity, three were euthanized due to poor response to treatment and five dogs lived.

Due to the severity of the signs and the potential for death, the veterinarians at the National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC) advocate aggressive treatment for any dog believed to have ingested excessive amounts of grapes or raisins, including inducing vomiting, stomach pumping and administration of activated charcoal, followed by intravenous fluid therapy for at least 48 hours or as indicated based on the results of blood tests for kidney damage.

Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.

Iodized salt and salty foods can cause stomach ailments and pancreatitis. Some dogs, especially large breeds, have been known to gulp too much water after eating salty foods and developed a life threatening condition called bloat during which the stomach fills with gas and twists, leading to a painful death unless emergency treatment is received immediately. Salt, Baking Soda, Baking Powder. In large amounts these can cause an electrolyte imbalance – and severe electrolyte imbalances can lead to muscle spasm or even congestive heart failure.

Persimmons - can cause intestinal blockage

Alcohol - Beer, wine & alcohol of any kind could lead to coma or even death.

Chocolate - Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic. When affected by an overdose of chocolate, a dog can become excited and hyperactive. Due to the diuretic effect, it may pass large volumes of urine and it will be unusually thirsty. Vomiting and diarrhea are also common. The effect of theobromine on the heart is the most dangerous effect. Theobromine either will increase the dog’s heart rate or may cause the heart to beat irregularly. Death is quite possible, especially with exercise. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning include vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, hyperactivity, irregular heartbeat and seizures.

Larger quantities of chocolate can poison or even kill a medium or large dog. An ounce or two of chocolate may not seem like much but it can be lethal to a small dog that weighs 10 lbs. or less. After their dog has eaten a large quantity of chocolate, many pet owners assume their pet is unaffected. However, the signs of sickness may not be seen for several hours, with death following within twenty-four hours.

Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate are the most toxic forms. These forms of chocolate contain ten times more theobromine than milk chocolate. Even licking a substantial part of the chocolate icing from a cake can make a dog sick. The next most dangerous forms are semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate, with milk chocolate being the least dangerous. A dog needs to eat more than a 250gm block of milk chocolate; however, the high amount of fat found in milk chocolate can lead to an attack of pancreatitis.

1 ounce per pound of body weight (2 ounces per kg of body weight) for milk chocolate.
1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight ( 1 ounce per 1.5 kg body weight) for semi-sweet chocolate
1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight ( 1 ounce per 4 kg) for baker's chocolate.

During many holidays such as Christmas, New Year's Day, Easter and Halloween, chocolate is often accessible to curious dogs, and in some cases, people unwittingly poison their dogs by offering them chocolate as a treat or letting them lick a frosting bowl.

Caffeine - Beverages with caffeine (like soft drinks, tea, coffee & coffee grounds) act as a stimulant and can accelerate your pet's heartbeat to a dangerous level. Pets ingesting caffeine have been known to have seizures, some fatal.

Vegetables - The toxic ingredient in broccoli is isothiocynate. While it may cause stomach upset it probably won't be very harmful unless the amount fed exceeds 10% of the dogs total daily diet.

POTATO PEELINGS, GREEN POTATOES GREEN TOMATOES & RHUBARB LEAVES

Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.

Mushrooms may contain toxins which could cause liver and kidney damage.

Human vitamins, especially those containing iron, can cause damage to the lining of the digestive system as well as cause kidney and liver damage

Dairy Products - Dairy products do not usually pose a great danger; but many dairy product have high fat content – and many pets are lactose intolerant – some pets more than others. Lactose intolerance leads to gas and diarrhoea; though small amounts of yogurt and cheese are usually fairly well tolerated. Excess fatty foods can cause Pancreatitis.

SIGNS TO LOOK FOR IF YOU SUSPECT YOUR PET HAS BEEN POISIONED

What you should do if you suspect your pet has been poisoned?
There are many ways your pet can be poisoned. Poisons can be ingested (eaten or drank), absorbed through the skin, or inhaled. While some poisons act immediately, some take days for symptoms to appear which can make a diagnosis difficult because the symptoms of poisoning are very similar to other medical problems. When signs of nervous system involvement, like tremors or seizures, begin to show your main objective is to get your dog to a veterinarian as quickly as possible. Try to bring with you a sample of vomitus, or better yet the poison in its original container. If for any reason you suspect your pet has been poisoned the sooner you seek veterinary treatment the better, your pet's chances for survival, hopefully with no long-term side effects or organ damage.

Here is a list of common signs seen with poisoning:

• Muscle tremors (including uncontrollable shivering) or seizures vomiting and or diarrhoea, sometimes with blood
• Excessive salivation - drooling or foaming
• Redness of skin, ears, eyes
• Mental depression or excitement (may be easily excitable)
• Bleeding (as with rat poison ingestion)
• Ulceration or blisters of the mouth or skin
• Excessive pawing at the mouth, excessive licking
• Swelling (i.e. of a limb or face, commonly seen with insect bites and stings)
• Elevated or depressed body temperature (elevations usually due to increased muscle activity -- tremors, seizures)

Call your veterinarian or veterinary emergency clinic immediately. Have the following information ready:

• The exact name of toxin, product or plant ingested, inhaled, or absorbed if the poison is known, take the box or package with you.
• Approximately how much of the toxin was ingested.
• How long ago you suspect that your pet may have been poisoned
• Approximate weight of your pet.
• What signs your pet is showing (vomiting, tremors, salivation, etc.)
• General observations (such as colour of the gums, respiratory rate, heart rate, and if possible, body temperature
• Some toxins need to be neutralized with activated charcoal, others need to be expelled by vomiting, and still others have antidotes.
• DO NOT induce vomiting without first consulting your veterinarian or Poison Control centre. Some toxins are caustic, and vomiting will only increase the damage.
• DO NOT induce vomiting or give charcoal by mouth if your dog is severely depressed, comatose, and unable to swallow or experiencing seizures.