Pet Care Club

For those who love their pets...

When Feeding A Dog Becomes Harmful

We all want what is best for our furry friends.  It is a common practice among pet owners to share their own food with their pets.  Feeding a dog, or a cat for that matter, human food can end up harming him in he long run.  There are even some human foods that can kill your pet.

The first problem you may encounter when feeding a dog human food is that the dog may be allergic to that particular food.  One dog may do well with a particular food, while another one may be allergic to it.  Feeding a dog something he is allergic to can result in symptoms from simple upset stomach to breathing problems due to swollen air passages.

Some dogs simply have extremely sensitive stomachs that are adversely affected by any food that it is not accustomed to eating.  Suddenly feeding a dog something new could cause him to vomit, have diarrhea or become constipated.  Severe diarrhea and vomiting may lead to dehydration, while constipation may require a vet visit to help relieve the impaction.  Feeding a dog what you consider a simple treat could end up costing him much suffering and you large vet bills.

While feeding a dog a particular food item may not produce any immediate adverse affects, some foods will stay in their system and build up to a toxic level.  Some of the damage done by feeding a dog a certain human food is invisible until it is too late.  Some foods produce anemia within your furry friend and others can cause fluid to develop around his heart, eventually causing a heart attack.  Still others can result in a type of diabetes.

Feeding a dog some foods can cause seizures and death within a short period of time.  These items do not even have to be in large portion to do this.  Raisins and grapes are among these items. Other items included in the potentially fatal category are chocolate, onions, garlic and any green part of a potato.   Feeding a dog only three or four bites of any of these can cause death even in large animals.

There are cures for many ailments that dogs experience.  Aching joints and missing minerals can be easily taken care of with health items for dogs with aching joints or vitamin deficiencies.  Feeding a dog human food, however, may produce an illness for which there is no treatment. Feeding a dog his favorite dog biscuit will make him just as happy as human food.  This will also keep him much healthier than feeding a dog human food that may  cause respiratory or digestive problems or even be fatal.

 

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